A Modern Fairytale
by Fantasy Fan Girl
Summary: Karin's a normal girl who just happens to be very rich. Her parents don't understand her and her Mom only wants her to marry a suitable husband, but she's only 17. What if she wants more. AU, little OOC, and KxK, plus each chapter has a fariytale theme.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Kamichama Karin.

Warning: this is AU as well as a little OOC. Sorry if that bugs you but for the plot, it just has to be that way. Hope you enjoy it anyway.

**Prologue **

'Once upon a time, there was a King and a Queen. Together they had a precious daughter that they cherished more than anything else. Though out the kingdom, everything was seemingly perfect.

The princess had very good noble friends that were always there for her, as she was for them. All of them were tutored together, and spent all their spare time with one another talking and laughing.

However, the princess didn't quite see eye to eye with her parents. The King barely ever saw her due to him having to rule far and wide over the kingdom, while the Queen only wanted her to find the best suitable prince and get married.

Okay, so my life doesn't really go like that. My name is Karin and I'm not really a princess, and my parents aren't really a King and Queen. No, we're just really rich, and I mean really rich.

My Dad is a rich business tycoon that is constantly traveling across country with his work. I'm lucky to see him once a week.

Dad actually cares about my grades, which honestly aren't too good, but he doesn't care enough to actually do anything but yell at me for them. At least he isn't home most of the time, although I do miss him because he is the only person who can actually get my Mom to calm down about finding me a husband. I'm beginning to hate that word.

You heard me right about the husband thing. My Mom's number one goal in life is for me to get married to some rich guy. She really is something else. I don't think I can go ten minutes without seeing her. She is the epitome of the busybody. She never stops. Every second of her day is filled with running our household which unfortunately is mostly bugging me to find a guy and get married.

I'm freaking only 17! I'm too young to get married, not that I would mind getting a guy, but that's not the point. My Mother's basic job is… me. She, unlike my Dad, doesn't care about my grades at all. Nope, the boy is all that matters to her. At first one might assume that isn't too bad, but I'm here to tell you that it's the worst thing in the world.

Okay maybe I'm exaggerating slightly, but still it completely sucks, and I don't cuss often. I don't care what you say, I'm counting sucks as a cuss word.

See I spend most of my time with my good friends Himeka-chan, Miyon-chan, and my cat Shi-chan. We go to school together, and are always talking and laughing among ourselves. (Except 

my cat, obviously she doesn't go to school or talk.) I can tell them anything and they get it, well for the most part. Both of their parents are a little more understanding then mine.

See, Himeka-chan's parents are okay with her not getting good grades as long as she tries hard at school, and Miyon-chan's parents don't have to worry about her grades because she always has excellent grades.

Plus their parents aren't trying to find them suitable husbands already. Sorry to repeat myself, it just really bugs me.

Then again, their parents aren't half as rich as mine, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Honestly I'm jealous of them. What girl needs multiple bedrooms before she can even walk? Don't get me wrong, I like being rich, but there is a certain point that it becomes a little ridiculous. Plus I don't love being rich. Sometimes it's just nice to watch a sunset rather than a million dollar top of the line television set. Know what I mean?

Anyways back to my friends, I have some other friends but it's not like I hang out with them everyday like I do with Himeka-chan and Miyon-chan.

There's Michiru, I've been friends with him ever since I could remember. At one point, my parents thought about me marrying him, but decided that he wasn't rich enough for me, he doesn't seem too offended by that though, he wants to marry solely for love. I'm envious of him.

Then there is Yuuki, he's a really nice guy and very smart. I may be friends with him but I know the real reason he is willing to hang out with me and Himeka, he likes Miyon-chan. Everyone knows… except Miyon of course, but I think that she may like him as well so hopefully everything will work out in the end.

Oh crud, I got to go. My Mom's calling and if she knew I had this diary then she would totally steal it and read it and I would so be grounded in a second. After all, I'm supposed to only eat breathe and sleep getting a future husband.'

With that as her final note, Karin quickly closed her journal and slipped her pencil into the spiral part of it, before looking for a place to hide it.

She had known when Himeka-chan had given her the journal to make into a diary she would have to hide it, but she had been too excited about writing to find a hiding spot first. Now, she was going to regret that because her Mom was going to find it and she would take it right away.

_Where to hide it? Where to hide it? Where to hide it? _Karin thought over and over racking her brain for some sort of answer. There were so many places that she could hide it, but most of them could and would be found out by her Mom or one of the maids.

She looked around her room, the most girly room of all time. It was so pink she almost wanted to puke. Yeah, she did like the color pink, but to this extent it was overwhelming. She could see 

the disgust in her friend's eyes whenever they visited. Maybe that was one of the reasons that they tended to hang out at their houses and not hers.

There was a bookshelf against one of the walls, but all it contained was magazines for teens which could be amusing but after a while got boring, and romance novels that were the same way. Her mother sadly wouldn't let her buy any other type of book, but she was looking into cutting out the middle of one of her books so that she could hide another book inside of it. She didn't know what yet, but did it matter at this point. There was no way to hide the journal there; it would stick out like a sore thumb.

Also on that wall was her walk in closet, but it was so filled with clothes that nothing else would probably fit in there nicely, plus a journal in a closet would just scream to her Mom to read it.

The next wall had her window, her one source of pleasure. The thing that helped her see out into the real world beyond her house, school, and her friend's yards. Unfortunately, it didn't really help her hide her journal.

By her window was her bed. For a moment she debated about hiding the thing in-between the mattress and the bed frame, but the thought of maids changing the sheets came to mind and that idea was thrown right out the window.

Along the next wall, was shelves filled with all her stuffed animals, of course all of them were antiques and so she hadn't ever been allowed to touch them in her childhood. Now that she was 17 she knew that her parents weren't technically watching her twenty four seven, so every once in a while she would take them down and then put them back up in a different order just to see if her Mother noticed. She never had said anything to Karin, but somehow they always ended up back in their original order. Still it was one way of rebelling so Karin continued to do it even though she knew it was childish.

Her last wall contained her door, no help there, and her dresser. Maybe she could hide it in there. She ran over to it as she heard her Mom yell once again, "Karin, just what are you doing up there exactly!?"

She didn't have much time before her Mom came in. Before her Mom could she yanked open her bottom dresser drawer and sadly it came right out because of the force she had pulled with. Thankfully, none of her clothes fell out and most of it remained folded well enough that she knew she could slip the drawer back in no problem.

It was then, that she found the perfect hiding spot. There, with her dresser drawer completely out, one could see the floor, and there was a small area of about an inch, that something, if flat enough, could be hidden between the floor and the bottom of the drawer, and the best part was the only way to get to it was to take the drawer completely out of dresser. In short, it was perfect.

Karin resisted the urge to squeal in delight of her newfound hiding spot, and quickly slipped her journal in, before shoving her dresser drawer back in its frame.

Just as it was slammed shut, her Mom poked her head into the room disapprovingly. "What on earth are you doing up here?" she questioned peering around the room as if looking for incriminating evidence.

"Just thinking," Karin said smoothly as if nothing was wrong. By now she was a master liar, but only to her parents. For some reason everyone else she got too nervous with and couldn't lie to them without it being obvious. Either that or her parents just didn't care enough if she did lie to them.

"Well get downstairs right now, some of my friends are here to meet you," her Mom then said putting on an overly cheery face.

_Great, more rich women with boys that might be deemed suitable enough to marry me. _

"Just change out of that school uniform first though," Karin's Mom said as she crinkled her nose in disgust.

Karin had a hard time not laughing, and ended up nodding in reply, not trusting her voice to come out without laughter.

"You're such a pretty girl, we'll find the perfect guy for you," her Mother said then smiling kindly at Karin's face. She couldn't help but blush at the complement. She knew that she shouldn't believer het though, her Mom was never one much for complements, at least not true ones.

A moment later, her Mom was gone and she was left alone once again. She couldn't help but not be able to wait till tomorrow, Friday, when her school, that was mostly just for rich kids and a few scholarship students, was having its annual dance. Not that she would have a date, unless her Mom set her up on one.

She cringed at the thought, but hopefully her Mom would be too picky as always to let Karin go really with anyone. Karin smiled as dreams of the dance filled her mind, there was no way her Mom wouldn't let her go to this dance, after all, it was a great way to become better acquainted with possible suitors.

Karin sighed, going to her closet to change, she realized that she was struggling in a world that she didn't want to be part of.

* * *

So first of all, most of the chapters will be written in the format that I wrote in at the end. Also, I believe that this will be the shortest chapter of the whole fic. Most chapters will be longer.

To explain: each chapter will have a theme fairy tale to go along with it. This is one of the two chapters that didn't. Its theme was "Once Upon A Time…" Because let's face it, all good fairytales start that way.

Next chapter is: Chapter One: Cinderella.

Umm… just letting you know, obviously I won't use every possible fairy tale known to man, there are just way too many. But I think that I've done a decent job at picking out which to use, and all of them will be changed mostly modernized, and some may actually only contain a line from that Fairytale.

Also, about Karin's Mom, she is just very old-fashioned in this modern time, she thinks that Karin should do what she is, be a housewife. I didn't know if that was confusing at all. Sorry if it was.

Hope you all enjoyed. I'm fairly good at updating so keep an eye out. Reviews are always appreciated, especially constructive criticism. (Also, most my authors notes won't be this long, sorry about that too.)

FFG- Jo


	2. Chapter 1 Cinderella

Disclaimer: I do not own Kamichama Karin.

Warning: this is AU and will have OOCness, I try to keep them for the most part in character, but for my story to work the way I want it to, oocness happens, sorry.

**Chapter One: Cinderella**

It was finally Friday, and Karin couldn't be more excited. Then again, her Mom couldn't be more excited either. Apparently, there were quite a few boys that would be at the dance tonight that her Mother greatly approved of.

Karin sighed as her Mom retied the little bow in the back of her dress yet again, trying to make it perfect. _Because I'm sure that the boys will notice if my bow is slightly crooked._ But Karin obediently kept her mouth shut, knowing better than to ruin her Mom's good mood on this special night.

Her dress was white and had a little green trim all over. It was short, because her Mom said that short was in for the time being, which Karin was quite happy about. After all, moving around in a short dress was much easier than something tight and long. It was sort of puffy but she had to admit looking in the mirror that she looked cute actually. The only part that was annoying was her shoes.

They were white just like her dress but they had no straps holding them in place, so it was quite easy for them to slip off. Too bad they looked perfect with the dress, Karin shrugged. There was no way she was going to get out of wearing the shoes. She would just have to be careful while dancing and try not to run. Karin smiled at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but be excited.

After many final adjustments, Karin finally managed to convince her Mother that there was nothing else to do in order to get ready for the dance and that she was ready to go.

"Bye Mom!" she yelled out the limo window. She knew her Mom didn't particularly like it when she did that, but sometimes she forgot and did it anyway.

"Be nice, Flirt, talk to all the boys…" her Mom screamed back trying to give her all the last minute advice as she was driven away.

Karin rolled up her window and rolled her eyes as her mother's antics. Within a few minutes, her limo pulled up at the school and she exited quickly. She didn't really appreciate the Limo, it seemed to just draw attention to her more than anything else, and she was always embarrassed about it taking her to school. Thankfully though, tonight it seemed like all the other kids parents were willing to spend big time on this dance, so it wasn't alone when it pulled up next to the curb that was the entrance to her school's grounds.

One might think that just because she went to a rich school, that the school would rent out some club, for a party such as this, but actually it hadn't been necessary. After all, the school had a room specifically for occasions such as this.

After Karin thanked her driver, making sure to be polite, she took a good long look at the changed school. The grounds had been decorated and were more beautiful then she had ever seen them before. They normally just were a wooded area with a few paved paths, but tonight fake candles had been put in all the branches of all the trees lighting the entire way up to the school. Karin couldn't help but think that it looked magical as she walked slowly up to the school.

When she finally walked up the front steps and got to the doors, she didn't even want to go in. Even though she had been looking forward to this night for quite a few weeks, she was mesmerized by the outside scenery. Everyone else just walked right past her into the dance that had already begun.

"Karin-chan!" a voice called out, waking her from her daze. She looked up just in time to see Himeka running up to her and trip, falling right on her face.

"Oh! Himeka-chan, are you alright?!" Karin said hurrying down to get to her friend as fast as possible without losing her shoes.

Himeka sat up smiling and giggled slightly at her clumsiness, "Yeah, I just tripped it's not a big deal."

Karin let out a breath that she had been holding without realizing. "Okay, let's go in."

As the two walked in, Karin couldn't help but feel like someone was watching her, but immediately shook it off. It was a dance; of course everyone was checking out everything. It would only make sense for someone to eventually notice her.

When they walked through the front doors, Karin heard herself gasp at the sight before her. The hall to the gym was just like outside, it was only lit by candles and had vines all along the walls and ceiling so that it didn't look like a simple school hallway anymore, it had been transformed into a part of the outside forest.

Karin and Himeka grinned at each other before they began to walk slowly down the hallway admiring the amazing work that had been done to make it look so beautiful.

As they came upon the room that was only used for occasions such as this, both couldn't help but beam at how amazing the room was. It was huge for one thing, so big that Karin couldn't help but wonder how it fit in the school.

Its walls were the same as the hallway's had been, although it was lighted by more than candles. There were large round tables all near the edges of the room, and then a gigantic dance floor as well as a stage in the front that had live music playing. At the moment, softer music was 

playing, but Karin knew it would change though the night, and the musicians would play a wide assortment of songs.

Green seemed to be the color of the evening as everything was decked out in it. "Hey there's Miyon-chan!" Himeka exclaimed rushing off toward her other friends.

Karin couldn't help but to try to run too, only to almost lose her shoe and have to slow down.

"Himeka-chan! Karin-chan!" Miyon cried, grabbing them both and giving them a hug. "It's so nice that you guys finally came, I was starting to get bored."

"But Miyon-chan, how can you be bored in here?" Himeka asked obviously excited.

"It's so beautiful," Karin said as her eyes lit up soaking in all the surroundings.

"You get used to it after a while," Miyon said shrugging. "Anyways…" and that prompted a long conversation between the three girls, that lasted for hours, all the way though dinner and would have been even longer if Miyon hadn't been interrupted at one point.

"Excuse me, Miyon?" Yuuki asked timidly.

"Oh, Yuuki!" Miyon said suddenly very nervous. Karin and Himeka couldn't help but look at each other and giggle knowingly.

"I was just wondering if you would like to dance?" he asked shyly as a small blush would have been obvious on his face if the lights hadn't been dimmed slightly.

Miyon didn't say anything for a second, speechless to answer. She looked at her friends who both nodded to her encouraging her to go for it. Wordlessly she nodded at Yuuki and stood up as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

Karin couldn't help but watch the two, so obviously falling for each other, but neither quite knowing what to do about it. She checked her phone in her purse for the time, noting how it was only ten thirty, so she still had an hour and a half.

She sighed; she probably would be the only one that had to leave at twelve o'clock. Everyone else would probably get to stay for a couple more hours. She actually was pretty sure that by midnight she was going to be pretty worn out, but all the same, she wanted to hang out some more with her friends.

Looking up, Karin found that a boy that she didn't recognize was asking Himeka to dance. She smiled, because Himeka looked truly pretty at the moment, and if someone was asking her to dance she should take the chance. When she finally shook her head yes and allowed the boy to escort her out on to the floor, Karin beamed at her friend.

It was so nice to see the people she was such good friends with catching the boys' attention. She sighed slightly disappointed that no one had asked her to dance. She had a theory on that, at times she didn't really have boundaries. She would just do things without really thinking about the following consequences, like the time a few years ago she had ran around the entire school in a Sumo suit to make sure that her crush at the time didn't see her in it. Too bad just about everyone else had seen her in it. Thankfully her parents had never found out.

She was just kind of intimidating to boys. It just was the way she came across at times. _I wonder if any boy will ever like me… just for being me._

"Excuse me Hanazono-san?" a boy's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Karin's head snapped up and her eyes met a pair of mismatched ones. "Micchi," she said not being able to tear her head away.

"I've come to save you from yourself, you looked like you were about to cry," Micchi said smiling warmly at her.

Karin couldn't help but smile back, "Well then what do you propose we do to fix this problem?"

"I suggest a dance," Micchi said standing from where he had just sat beside Karin. He held out his hand for Karin to take and she couldn't resist.

As she was lead out on to the dance floor, she smiled at Micchi happy that she got to dance with someone even if it was just a friend. Karin quickly slipped her hand to on Micchi's shoulder as she felt his slide to her waist and grip her other hand in his tightly. Then they began the intricate steps that everyone had been taught in school over the last few months. It was an old dance style, but all the same it was still fun, and they couldn't help but grin as they performed it.

"So are you going to tell me what had you so upset over there, or do I have to guess," Micchi asked as he nodded his head in the direction of the table they had been at.

"I'm fine, don't know what you're talking about," Karin said trying not to let her gloominess ruin the night.

Micchi gave her a certain look that he always did whenever he knew that she was lying to him. "So you're not going to tell me, that must mean you are really upset," Micchi said calling her bluff.

Karin sighed, she shouldn't have even tried to hide it from Micchi; he could read her like a book. "It's just the same old stuff as always," she admitted sadly refusing to look Micchi in the face.

For a moment Micchi just stared at Karin, deep in thought. He knew about her home life and was one of the few at the school that understood that she didn't have the amazing life that everyone cracked up for her to have. Just because she was probably the richest girl in the school didn't mean that she got everything she ever wanted.

Just then the dance ended and Karin pulled away from Micchi putting on a smile and clapping for the musicians along with everyone else.

Micchi recognized Karin's smile as the act it really was. He knew that she didn't like to worry anyone and would smile just to keep others from being troubled by her. Sometimes he wished that she would open up to him, after all, he almost felt like a big brother to her, but then again, he also knew that one of these days she was going to find someone that she would open up to, and that lucky guy would be the one for her.

He could only hope that it happened soon, because every day he saw her in the hall or in class, she seemed to be more and more distracted by something.

Quickly, Micchi gave Karin a small hug before saying, "You shouldn't worry so much," then he poked her forehead grinning, "It'll give you wrinkles."

Karin couldn't help but laugh and then gave a quick squeeze back to Micchi, thankful that she had such caring friends. Just then something struck her. When was the last time she had checked the time.

"Micchi, do you know what time it is," she asked politely.

He gave her a confused face before pushing up his sleeve and taking a quick glance at his watch. "It's about eleven fifty."

Karin's eyes went wide with shock. Had it really been that long since she had checked her phone earlier? She needed to get out of there and fast if she was going to make it home in time.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," she said giving one last goodbye hug to Micchi. As she headed back to the table to get her purse, he followed her guessing what was up.

"Your parents gave you another curfew," he said frustrated by how Karin's parents didn't ever give her any freedom.

"Yeah, I have to be home by midnight," she explained while searching for her purse that didn't seem to be where she had left it last. Finally she got down on her knees and found it under her chair having been knocked off the table. "Could you explain to Himeka-chan and Miyon-chan the situation for me?" Karin asked standing up.

"Of course," Micchi said smiling.

"Thanks," Karin yelled already running out the room and down the hall.

"Good luck Hanazono-san," Micchi couldn't help but say under his breath knowing that she would need it.

Karin was not having an easy time with her shoes while running down the hall. Every other step was threatening to make her fall and probably do something like break a leg knowing her luck.

When she finally made it outside, she could see just barely by the entrance gates, a limo ready to pick her up. She couldn't help but hope the driver hadn't waited too long on her. She'd make sure to apologize to him profoundly.

As she started down the steps it was really no surprise when one of her shoes just slipped off. She took a few more steps almost tempted to leave it behind not really caring about it enough to go back, but then the thought of what her Mother might say if she only came home with one shoe came to mind. She decided to go back.

Turning around, she found something she hadn't expected. A boy… a very cute boy. He had on a suit and thus it could be assumed that he went to her school, although he almost looked like a prince. He had short blond hair and the most amazing blue eyes that she had ever seen, and they seemed to be examining something in his hand, which just happened to be her shoe.

Suddenly embarrassed, Karin tried to think of something to say, but her mind just drew a blank. Finally she was able to stutter out, "Umm… could I have my shoe back."

For the first time since she had met this new boy, he looked at her. She almost gasped under his heavy gaze, so serious. She tried once again to talk, but this time nothing would come out and she ended up just moving her lips around trying to speak but nothing coming out.

Then without warning, the boy just tossed her the shoe, and started to turn away as if he was going to go back to the party. She caught the shoe, almost fumbling it, before hearing him speak, "Girls are such idiots for wearing such unpractical clothing."

At first Karin could hardly believe her ears. Did he just say what she thought he said. "You chauvinist brat!" she screamed not being able to help herself. He appeared to be ignoring her still just walking away, "Wait a minute, I'm not done with you yet!" she continued as she started going back up the stairs and towards this guy.

Too bad luck didn't seem to be favoring Karin that night. In just three steps, her other shoe did something weird and she began to slip. She immediately started waving around her arms, trying to catch her balance, but the battle was over before it had even begun. She could feel her body beginning to fall back and closed her eyes just awaiting the inevitable.

But it never came, and instead she felt something gripping her hand holding her up from falling backwards. Opening her eyes, she found the boy holding her hand and pulling her back up on to her center.

She could hardly believe that this boy, who had just insulted her, had then turned around and saved her from serious injury. Once again she was speechless, not sure how to say thank you, or even if she technically should. After all, part of the blame was with him for saying such a mean thing.

Then she heard the honk of the limo, and was brought back to her senses. She did a quick small bow towards the boy and said, "Umm thanks," before slipping off her other shoe and running to the Limo with her heels in her hand, not even caring that on the pavement her feet could possibly get scraped up. Only caring that she could run for once without anyone telling her to slow down or be careful. Even if for only a few seconds, she was free.

The blond haired boy stared after the girl in slight awe. It struck him slightly how she hadn't cared about scraping up her feet as she had ran though the night bare footed. It was interesting for a rich girl. He wondered if maybe by some chance she was on scholarship like him, but upon thinking back to her dress, realized that if anything she might have been one of the richer students.

He shook his head with disgust. How could he even begin to think someone else here might be slightly like himself and not really have a place to fit in.

* * *

Of course we all know who the boy was at the end. I loved doing this version of Cinderella because let's face it, it's much more likely that in today's world you might lose a shoe and then go back for it then just leaving it to let some stranger find. Umm, if you didn't get how this related to Cinderella at all, then you need to go back and watch the movie or read something about it online.

Hope you all enjoyed. Remember, Reviews are awesome. I should be updating next Wednesday, that seems to be the update day for me for this story.

FFG- Jo


	3. Chapter 2 Rumpelstiltskin

Disclaimer: I do not own Kamichama Karin

**Chapter Two: Rumpelstiltskin**

"Thank you!" Karin yelled to her Limo driver as she stepped out on Monday morning. She quickly ran away trying to get as far as possible from anything that reminded her of home.

The weekend hadn't gone very well after she had made it home from the party. Because of the dance, her Mom had _really_ wanted to work on finding her a husband, even more so than usual. Karin had the slight suspicion that it just had hit her Mom that it was the Fall of her final year of High School and she didn't have too much more time before she graduated.

She knew her Mom's plan for her: Graduate, get married, have kids. Nothing more, nothing less.

Her father's plan was almost identical, only adding college before having kids, or after… really as long as she eventually made it to college he would be happy.

That was the other thing that had made the weekend a frenzy of running and hiding from her Mom. Her Dad had some important business to attend and most likely wouldn't be home for a few more weeks. She had no idea how she was going to survive without him to placate her Mom.

Karin stopped running and caught her breath as she began to look around for her friends. Thank goodness they didn't have to wear uniforms anymore, that had been so hard to find anyone when everyone looked alike, although most likely they were already in the classroom at the moment, but every once in a while they would be outside. Those were the days she enjoyed the most, not that she told anyone. If she did, they probably would ask why, and that would just worry them.

She just liked being outside because so much of the time she was required to be indoors. When she was outside no one questioned her yelling or excitement. It was okay to be that way, as long as you were outside.

As she walked up to the school, she grabbed the trunk of a tree and swung around once, just stalling before she would have to go inside.

Unfortunately, she didn't have complete control of her swinging, and when she came around and there was a person there, she couldn't avoid slamming into him. Both fell back after the crash, Karin rubbing her forehead from it wondering how anyone could have such a hard head.

When they looked up and met eyes, Karin was dumbfounded. It was the rude boy from at the end of the party. Okay, maybe she was being too hard on him, he had actually saved her as well, but he never had apologized for that sexist comment either.

"Stupid girls, they should learn to watch what they are doing?" the blonde boy said standing up and brushing himself off.

"Chauvinist Pig!" Karin screamed leaping to her feet.

The boy just looked curiously at Karin before finally speaking, "You're that girl from the party. You're really annoying, girl," and with that he began to walk away.

"Don't call me Girl!" she demanded getting even more annoyed with this guy. "My name is Karin!"

The boy didn't even hesitate in his steps upon hearing her name. He just kept walking, as if he didn't care in the slightest.

Karin ran up to right beside him before speaking again, "I told you my name, so you should have the courtesy to do the same for me."

"Why should I?" he simply asked still not even bothering to look in her direction.

Karin was fuming. "Stop messing with me! I just want to know you're name!"

He stopped walking suddenly, and finally turned to her looking her straight in the eyes. "I'll make you a deal."

Confused, Karin listened intently very interested in what the boy was going to say.

"I'm not going to tell you my name, but I'll give you three guesses to figure it out before the end of the day. But if you don't figure it out, then you aren't even worth my time to talk to, and you'll leave me alone," he said before turning and immediately walking away.

Karin was left alone and speechless, she started to run after him to try and punch him, but instead held herself back trying to figure out a way that she might be able to figure out his name. She was so tired of his sexist remarks about her that she wanted to prove him wrong and learn his name, not that she would want to actually talk to him afterwards. No, this was about proving him wrong.

With that thought, she stormed off toward the school, not even realizing that anything having to do with her home life was no longer on her mind.

Upon walking into her classroom, for the first time she noticed him. The guy who she had decided to call "Rumpelstiltskin" until she found out his true name, was sitting in the back of the room with a book open on his desk studying.

How she had never noticed him was beyond her, and she suddenly felt very stupid for not being aware of his presence. Then again, he was in the very back of the classroom while she was in about the third row so it was plausible that she just hadn't ever seen him through the mess of faces in her class.

She rubbed her hands together scheming. Figuring out his name was going to be easy now. She would just have to wait for the teacher to call on him, so easy, it was child's play.

"Karin-chan, are you alright?" Himeka asked feeling the evil intentions radiating off of her friend.

"Oh, I'm fine Himeka-chan," she replied with malicious intent.

Himeka decided that she was okay with not knowing at the moment and they both quickly went to their seats as the day began.

At first, Karin paid very good attention to class, although she was not able to concentrate long without taking a peek over at "Rumpelstiltskin" as she had dubbed him until she found out his name. He, of course, was watching the teacher and paying complete attention to the lesson.

She sighed and turned back to the front of the room bored with the class already. When was the teacher going to start calling on people to answer her questions or go to the board and complete a math problem or something? As the teacher started to explain again she couldn't help but think, _this is going to be a long day._

The class went by about as fast as Karin had expected it to. For some reason it seemed like the teacher was doing more explaining today than usual. Most of the time by now, she had begun the part of class that was questioning the students. Why today of all days!

"Mr. Kujyou," the teacher suddenly said, calling someone up to the bored. Karin's head snapped up to attention and her eyes widened as "Rumpelstiltskin" stood up from his seat and headed up to the front of the room to demonstrate the problem.

Karin didn't even bother listening to what he was explaining, she was too engrossed in the fact that she had won. She knew his name… well his last name, but still that should be enough, right?

As he walked back to his desk, Karin couldn't help but smirk at him and resist the urge to giggle as well. He just glanced at her and smirked back, like he knew something she didn't know. Suddenly she was having to fight the urge to go yell at him until he told her whatever he was smirking about. He wasn't supposed to be the one that was happy, no she was!

Karin huffed to herself in annoyance, she hated being out of the loop. It was annoying and very frustrating to her that "Rumpelstiltskin Kujyou" seemed to have some sort of trick up his sleeve.

She couldn't help but pout a little in annoyance that even worse than not knowing, was having to wait to find out. There was no possible way for her to talk to the guy in the middle of class. Impatiently, Karin waited until the end of class, dreading every moment of it.

Finally when the bell rang to let them go to their next class, Karin gathered her things as fast as possible and darted out into the hallway after "Rumpelstiltskin Kujyou" who appeared to have a talent for getting out of class very quickly.

She looked around expecting to see his head disappearing down the hallway, but was pleasantly surprised when she found him leaning against the wall outside the classroom waiting for her or at least she assumed so, because at the moment he was looking at her.

"I know your name," she said hoping that his last name would be enough, but also knowing that deep down he wasn't going to accept it.

"Only my last name, and that won't count," he said already knowing exactly what she was going to say.

"Why not?!" Karin demanded annoyed that he had known exactly what she was going to say.

"Because I only know your first name," he said simply as he began to walk away.

Karin clenched her fists at his logic, but what she was really mad about was the fact that it made sense. "Hanazono!" she yelled down the hall in his direction. He stopped walking and turned around and gave her a strange look. "It's my last name!" she called out before turning and walking in the other direction, towards her next class.

As the day began to pass by, Karin found that "Rumpelstiltskin Kujyou" happened to be in quite a few of her classes and she had just never noticed him, granted he never sat very close to her in any subject. In these particular classes, Karin paid special attention to whoever would talk to her mystery boy, but only found out that most people seemed to just ignore him. Not that she could blame them, after all he was a chauvinist pig.

Then again, as the day wore on, she could almost find herself feeling bad for him, but immediately shook it off deciding that she had to concentrate on a way to defeat him.

By the time it was lunch time, Karin had gone through so many ways of trying to figure out "Rumpelstiltskin Kujyou's" real name that her head was pounding. She put it down on her desk hoping that its coolness would help in some way.

"Karin-chan, are you alright," Himeka asked quietly, worried about how her friend had been acting all day. All of them had noticed, but had figured that Karin would shake it off like she normally did. Now that she was still seemingly depressed they were more worried than ever.

"Is it something having to do with your parents?" Micchi asked not thinking about the possibility that this might upset her more.

Karin snorted in response, "I wish, I know how to handle that," _Just don't think about it is how._

"Then what is it" Miyon pressed, concerned about her friend as well.

She sighed and looked up at her friends, as much as she hadn't wanted to get them involved, maybe they could help her, hey sometimes it was best to just go ahead and get help. "There's a guy…" she admitted unwillingly.

"I knew it!" Micchi exclaimed suddenly excited. "So who's the lucky fellow?" he asked getting even more eager.

"No! It's not like that Micchi!" Karin exclaimed going wide-eyed at his accusation. They all went silent waiting for Karin to explain herself. "See, I met him at the dance and the bastard made fun of me. Then he ran into me this morning," she said deciding to leave out that she actually was as much to blame for the collision as he did. "And once again he made fun of me, so we made this deal that if I couldn't figure out his name by the end of the day, and I have three guesses, that he wouldn't talk to me ever again," she said hissing out the last part in extreme annoyance.

"Why do you want to talk to him again anyways?" Miyon asked confused as to why Karin could be upset about something as silly as this.

"I don't!" Karin yelled in annoyance of being frustrated, not at Miyon who knew Karin well enough to not take offence at her yelling. "I just want to prove to that brat I can find out his name."

"Don't worry Karin-chan," Himeka said patting her soothingly on the back. "We know you can figure out his name."

"Yeah Hanazono-san!" Micchi yelled cheering on Karin.

"I'm sure if you found him during lunch you might be able to figure out something more about him," Yuuki said trying to come up with some sort of plan to help Karin.

"Karin-chan, we are all behind you!" Miyon exclaimed trying to be as supportive of her friend as possible.

"You're right you guys, I just can't give up," Karin said sprinting out the door forgetting completely about lunch and only concentrating on finding her mystery boy.

"Karin's a little weird no?" Yuuki said smiling at Miyon.

"Yeah, but that's why we love her," she said back shaking her head at Karin's antics to find this guy.

First she started by searching the grounds. Most everyone went out there for lunch, so that's probably where he would be. But the more she looked the more Karin began to think that he wasn't outside. Surely if he was, she would have run into him by now.

"Umm… Excuse me?" a voice called out to Karin. She turned to find a girl who she didn't recognize but was about her age and looked extremely confused. "I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the school?" she asked giving a little half smile as if she was completely lost but almost used to it.

"Sure," Karin said knowing how it felt to be lost in these school grounds with the many different school entrances and surrounding wooded area, it was hard to get used to. "Just go back that way," she said pointing over the girls shoulder, "and make a left, after that just follow the largest path and you will make it to the front of the school."

"Thanks," the girl said running off in the directions Karin had given her.

Karin smiled happy to have helped before she resumed her search. Giving up on finding him outside, she decided to take one of the side entrances into the school and begin to search the hallways.

She walked into the building as her stomach growled as if it were telling her to eat already. "Not yet, I have to find him first," she said out loud to no one in particular before realizing how stupid she sounded talking to herself. She shook her head annoyed with herself for acting so weird lately.

As she turned one of the many corners of the school, she was finally rewarded in her efforts. Too bad it was in a way that she didn't particularly care for. He had apparently been running down the hall and when she had turned the corner he had run smack dab into her, and now was sitting on top of her actually straddling her, who cares if it had been an accident. She wanted him off and fast.

"Get off!" Karin bellowed not happy to have the very person she was mad at sitting on her.

"Will you shut up!" he shot back, looking back in the direction he had come from.

There were voices, multiple girls were coming in their direction, not that Karin noticed, she was too occupied with the fact that this guy was still on top of her. She started squirming in fury and shouting at him even more, demanding that he get off of her that instant.

He didn't even look at her though as he stood up quickly grabbing her arm and pulling her with him into a nearby janitor's closet, slamming the door behind them. The boy immediately fell to his knees and put his head to the door.

A little light slipped in through the small window in the door but it was still quite dark in there, and so Karin began to protest at once. "Just what the hell are you doing?!" she commanded as she still stood there very annoyed now that she was seemingly being held prisoner in a closet.

He didn't even seem to listen to her, instead still listening outside the door trying to figure out if the girls were coming or not. As Karin's protests began to grow in volume though, he knew that the girls were sure to find him just by hearing her. In a split second, he had reached out grabbed 

her with one arm around the waist into his lap and the other slapping over her mouth in an attempt to silence her if just for a moment so that he could hear.

Her back was to his chest and she could feel every breath he took as his chest expanded and deflated slowly. She could even manage to feel his heartbeat, adapt, very faintly. She couldn't help but blush slightly.

"Do you ever shut up?" he asked annoyed at her constant questions.

Karin clenched together her teeth on instinct once again trying to prove to this boy that she wasn't nearly as annoying as he seemed to think she was.

He twisted his head to the side once again pressing his ear to the door to better hear what was going on outside while refusing to loosen his hold on Karin even by one bit. Her face continued to redden at the contact of being so close to a boy for so long.

The only people who had ever gotten this close to her that were of the opposite sex had been her Dad who always gave her quick hugs and small kisses on the forehead only, and then Micchi who gave everyone bone crushing hugs every day.

Now she was being practically held by a boy who she hadn't even known a week, or was even friends with, and she couldn't help but actually enjoy the feeling. She relaxed into his hold deciding that fighting against it really wasn't helping her situation at all, and as she did he felt it and turned his head back to over her shoulder right in her ear before whispering ever so lightly "If I let go of your mouth, do you promise to stay quiet until I say so?" His hot breath tickled her ear slightly and she had trouble not shivering for some reason.

She nodded, knowing that even though she didn't know him very well she could trust him to keep his word from the way his voice was so serious and yet caring in a way. He loosened his hold immediately from over her mouth and wrapped it like the other arm around her waist, although that hold was loosened as well so that it wasn't as uncomfortable as before.

Both listened for people outside, although Karin wasn't sure why she was, it was more that he was so she did as well.

After a couple of minutes, a group of screaming girls could be heard outside the door and he cringed at their voices. Karin was confused not being able to understand what they were cheering about until they ran right past the closet door oblivious to the existence of two people behind it in the semi dark room.

"Kujyou-kun! Kujyou-kun! Kujyou-kun!..." the group screamed over and over and over. Karin couldn't help but think that it may have been the most annoying noise she had ever heard.

They waited at the chanting began to get fainter and fainter over the next few minutes. Karin could feel him physically loosen up slightly as it got quieter and quieter. It was obvious that he didn't appreciate these fans of his.

"Fan Club?" she asked whispering not being able to bring herself to completely destroy the silence with her normal voice.

He immediately tensed up once again, as if he had almost forgotten she had been there with him the whole time. He stood up not bothering to give her any warning beforehand, thus dumping her carelessly on the floor.

"Ouch!" she said landing on her butt, before looking up only to see him opening the door letting a flood of light come in as he didn't even bother to apologize. She glared at him, tired of his coldness towards her, it's not like she had done anything to deserve it really.

She got up expecting them to just go their separate ways as she stepped out into the hallway, but was surprised to see him stop and turn back to her. "Sorry," he said bowing his head quickly before swiftly making his way down the hallway in the opposite direction of where they had heard the girls run off in.

His apology surprised her. He just didn't seem like the type, but then again she wasn't normally the type to just let someone hold her for a while that she barely knew and much less in a closet.

Not only that but she almost felt bad for him. She knew that she wouldn't want guys flocking after her like that, it was kind of creepy. People weren't supposed to act that way. She stared confused after him, and the worst part about it, she still didn't have any hints toward finding out his name.

She cursed, stamping her foot in sudden anguish. Why did she have to have this type of luck? Why did this sort of stuff always seem to happen to her?

"Hey Hanazono-san!" a voice called from down the hallway that she would always recognize.

She turned quickly trying to cover up her confusion, "Micchi!" she called smiling. He always seemed to have that kind of effect on her even if he could get on your nerves a little. But Micchi wasn't alone, he had a girl by him that Karin couldn't place a name with her face, although she was sure that she had seen this girl before.

"Hanazono-san, this is Ami-chan, she is a new transfer student here but I used to go to school with her back in elementary school," Micchi explained introducing the girl beside him with the pretty ringlets in her hair.

"Oh you're the girl from the school grounds," Karin said smiling remembering finally where she had seen her before. "I see you found your way into the school."

"Actually I didn't," Ami admitted a little embarrassed. "Micchi saw me looking lost and escorted me into the school and then now is helping me find my way around in here, it's so big, I'm sure to get lost again," she laughed.

Karin laughed too, "Don't worry you get used to it," and on that note, they all began to walk together to their next class period, that thankfully for Ami, she had with Micchi and Karin.

On the way, Karin got to hear a few stories about Micchi when he had been in elementary school with Ami. They had been so silly and cute when they had been younger. She felt a tiny tinge of jealousy in her heart listening to how much fun they had. She shook it off though, the past was the past and there was no way to change it. It wasn't her fault that her parents had decided to home school her until she had begged them to let her go to a real school for high school.

There was nothing that she could do about the fact that she hadn't had any friends until she had come to this school. She could just be happy about how now she had such good friends that cared so much about her, and it looked like Ami-chan was going to join the group and fit in quite well.

When they made it back to the classroom, Karin immediately went to her desk hoping that she might have enough time to eat part of her lunch, but just as she was about to dig in, the bell rang. Her stomach grumbled as she put away her food, there wasn't any possible way her day could get any worse.

Then when "Rumpelstiltskin" walked in the room, Karin felt like slamming her head down on her desk, she had thought too soon, now it couldn't get any worse. The rest of today was going to be very long.

As Karin had suspected, the day passed very slowly, although besides that it wasn't too bad. There were no tests or pop quizzes so normally she would have loved the day, except for her grumbling stomach and annoyance with her mystery boy who she still couldn't figure out his name.

In her second to last period class though she did regain some hope, when both Micchi and Yuuki went over to "Rumpelstiltskin" and started chatting with him like they were all good friends. And then Karin looked closer at her mystery guy's face, he was relaxed, it wasn't _like_ they were good friends. They _were_ good friends!

Karin almost fell out of her desk at the revelation. All day she had been freaking out because she didn't know this guy's name and all along she had been friends with guys who would have known. Just as she stood up to go over and ask though, the bell rang and she cursed at it. Why couldn't it just give her two more minutes? She grabbed her stuff just shoving it all in her bag knowing that the passing period was her last chance to find either of her two guy friends, because neither of them shared her last class with her.

But as she ran out into the hallway and searched the crowds she couldn't find anyone that even closely resembled them. She sighed, her luck today was just terrible. When the last bell of the day rang, everyone else darted out of the classroom as fast as possible, on the other hand, Karin stood up slowly from her desk and dragged her feet out the door only to find once again her mystery guy waiting on her leaning against the wall.

"What do you want?" she snapped knowing the answer already as she began to walk down the hallway picking up the pace. If only she could find Micchi or Yuuki then she would be able to get this guy back.

"You already know what I want, so are you going to guess or just give up," he said easily catching up with her.

She shot him a glare before continuing to look around for her friends, not even bothering to answer him. For a moment they walked in silence but soon he found that he was too curious for his own good and couldn't help but ask, "_What_ are you doing?"

Karin didn't even look at him this time as she answered, "looking for my friends, they know your name."

"Who?" he asked, curious about the fact that they might share friends.

She started to say mind your own business but then changed her mind realizing it didn't really matter too much if he knew or not. "Micchi and Yuuki." She said still searching.

He was surprised, of all the people in the school; she had to have been buddies with his closest friends. You learn something new every day. But then he smirked a little at the predicament Karin was in, "You won't be able to find either of them, Sakurai has after school violin lessons and leaves right away every day, and Nishikiori is showing that new girl Ami around the school still so who knows where they might be," he said as they walked out the school doors and down one of the paths where the school grounds entrance was.

Karin stopped immediately realizing that he was right. She stomped her foot in frustration as her hands clenched in annoyance. "Why do you always have to be right!" she demanded yelling in his face.

"Why do you always have to be loud!" he yelled right back in her face.

"Karin-chan! Kazune-chan!" a girl yelled from the path they had come from. They both turned to find Himeka running towards them. They both waited patiently as she came up assuming that she was just there to see them.

"Hey, Himeka-chan" Karin said trying to be in a happier mood for Himeka's sake.

"Wait, how do you know Himeka?" he asked suddenly feeling as if he should have been expecting this all along.

"Oh, so you two know each other?" Himeka then asked surprised.

Both were silent for a moment, before a big grin formed on Karin's face. He knew exactly what she was going to do and couldn't help but frown slightly. "Himeka-chan?" Karin asked sweetly, "What did you call him again."

"Who, Kazune-chan?" Himeka asked now confused as well.

"HA!" Karin laughed right in his face, "Kazune Kujyou, I know your name," and she continued laughing in her joy.

Kazune didn't say a word choosing to stay silent and just sigh knowing that there was no way that he could argue with her, she had won, and yet he wasn't that upset about it. She certainly was an interesting girl.

"Karin-chan, are you saying Kazune-chan is the boy that had you so upset?" Himeka asked innocently surprised.

"Yeah," Karin admitted still smiling, but then something struck her even though her happiness. "Wait a sec, how do you know Kazune-kun?" she asked Himeka.

Himeka didn't have time to say a word before Kazune began to laugh. "What is your problem?!" Karin demanded once again annoyed for being left out of the joke even if Himeka wasn't laughing too.

"You really are an idiot," he said holding his stomach as he continued to laugh.

"What!" Karin screamed now even more annoyed then before, although Himeka wasn't sure quite how.

"Come on think about it," Kazune said straightening up and still smiling, truly amused by Karin's ignorance. Karin continued to just glare at him, and he sighed knowing that he would have to explain it to her. "What's my last name?"

Karin huffed still aggravated "I don't see how tha-"

"Just answer the question," he insisted knowing that unless he was sharp with her, she might not really listen to him.

"Kujyou," she snapped at him.

"And what's Himeka's last name," he asked slowly as if otherwise she wouldn't understand him.

"Kujyou," she said once again still not understanding exactly what he was trying to… "Oh!" she exclaimed blushing and feeling quite stupid with herself.

"Took you long enough," Kazune said exasperated.

Karin decided to ignore him for the time being and just speak to Himeka instead, it would be easier. "So are you guys like brother and sister?" she asked curiously wondering why Himeka had never mentioned Kazune before.

"Actually we're cousins, but Kazune-chan lives with me so that he can go to this school," she explained sweetly.

"Oh, but still that must be kind of nice to have someone your own age around in the house," she said already over her foul mood from before.

Himeka began to answer back, but before she could, the honk of a horn cut her off, as a limo pulled up to the school ground's entrance. Karin couldn't help but frown in response and sigh as she was pulled back into her real world where she didn't get to make decisions for herself.

But before she turned back to her friends, she quickly covered her frown with a bright smile. Himeka hadn't even noticed the quick look of annoyance on her friend's face, but someone else had.

"Hey, I'll talk to you guys tomorrow," Karin yelled over her shoulder as she ran towards the limo. "Bye Himeka-chan. Bye Kazune-kun," and with that she opened the door to the limo and stepped in quickly so as to avoid as many strange looks at her as possible.

As the limo pulled away, Himeka and Kazune began to walk out of the school grounds and towards their way home, but Kazune couldn't help but wonder why anyone would glare at a limo sent to pick them up. There was only one thing he knew for sure, there must be more to Karin than what met the eye of her just being another one of the rich selfish brats of the school.

* * *

So hopefully you got the Rumpelstiltskin stuff from this chapter, and once again if you didn't, you seriously need to go back and read you're fairytales. I know I didn't have Karin guess anything except his real name but she's a smart girl, she knew better than to just guess a random name and hope for the best.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, like always the next will be out next Wednesday. That just seems to be the best day to update this one. Reviews are awesome and constructive criticism is great.

FFG- Jo


	4. Chapter 3 The Ugly Duckling

Disclaimer: I do not own Kamichama Karin

Warning: probably is OOC and will have to be for the story to make sense, also AU.

**Chapter Three: The Ugly Duckling**

The week went by in a flash. Karin could hardly believe that once again it was a Friday and that it had been a week since the dance. Then again it already seemed like she had known Kazune much longer than a week. He was just so annoying.

Not a day had passed that they hadn't argued. He always seemed to make such sexist comments, and Karin couldn't resist correcting him.

At first the others had been surprised and a bit taken aback by the constant arguments, but by now, they just knew that this was going to be the norm. Micchi couldn't help but notice something was different about Karin that week though. She wasn't as quiet as normal. Well, that wasn't right really; Karin was never one to be quiet. But that week she had been less…distracted, even if she was just yelling at Kazune.

Now that it was Friday though, she did seem a little unfocused once again as the school day came to a close. Another weekend of dodging her Mom was all that Karin had on her mind.

When the last bell of the day finally rang, everyone seemed jumped up and began to rush out the door ready for the weekend. Karin tried to cover up her dread with a smile and false excitement, and most fell for her act.

Micchi as usual didn't, but choose not to say anything about it, knowing that she wouldn't want anyone to feel bad for her, and then Kazune noticed but also chose not to say a word more curious than caring as to what could make Karin act so differently than usual.

To most it seemed the same, but he had noticed the little things, like when she had punched him that morning it wasn't as hard as it had been all the other times that week, and then in class when she normally at least faked studying, she just stared out the window eyes wide as if she had been trying to soak in as much as possible. It didn't make sense to him, even when she smiled it almost looked painful for her. He continued to keep his mouth shut though wondering what was making her act so strangely.

As the group of friends walked out of the school and towards the exit, Karin couldn't help but feel dread wash over her. Her stomach almost began to hurt with anticipation of going home.

"Karin-chan, what do you think of the idea?" Himeka asked not realizing that Karin hadn't really been paying attention.

"Umm… what?" she asked embarrassed that she hadn't been listening to her friends.

Himeka just smiled not minding in the slightest as she repeated her question. "Do you want to sleepover tonight?"

For a moment Karin said nothing as she stared at Himeka in pure bliss before the biggest smile grew on her face and she started hugging Himeka like there was no tomorrow. "Yes yes yes!" she screamed laughing the whole time. Himeka, Miyon, and Ami couldn't help but giggle right along with her, and Micchi and Yuuki smiled and laughed a little at the girl's antics, while Kazune just watched surprised more than anything.

He couldn't help but think that Karin was one of the strangest people he had ever met, one second almost sulking and the next laughing and smiling because of something as simple as a sleepover. The whole thing was just silly, and yet he couldn't help but feel slightly better with her smiling once again.

"But we have to get me an excuse to get over there," Karin said thoughtfully to the girls as they all began to think of suggestions like a class project.

Kazune furrowed his eyebrows in slight confusion of the girl's conversation, and debated about asking one of the guys what the hell they were talking about. Excuses to go to a sleepover? But as he looked at his friends he quickly realized that asking them about it wasn't really going to be an option. After all, Sakurai looked as if he didn't have a clue as to what the girls were talking about and didn't really care, deciding that it was too hard to decipher, and Nishikiori had a gleam in his eye that just screamed 'if you ask me about the girls I'm going to read way too much into this.' So for the time being Kazune decided to just keep his mouth shut about the whole thing.

"Look don't worry about it guys, I'll figure out something to tell my Mom," Karin said cheerfully knowing that if she didn't she would be stuck an entire weekend with just her Mom and the many possible future husbands.

--

"No, absolutely not!"

"But Mom," Karin whined annoyed that she hadn't even gotten an excuse out before her Mom had rejected the idea.

"No buts Karin, it's just too… too…" she started not being able to explain.

"Too what?!" Karin yelled frustrated.

"Too dangerous!" Her Mom yelled back equally frustrated with her daughter's lack of concern for her well being.

Kain scoffed, "Too dangerous? Mom, that doesn't even make sense. Where is the danger in this situation?" Her Mom stayed silent trying to signal the end of the conversation, but from Karin's point of view, it was far from over.

"I'll walk out the front door to the limo that will drive me all the way to the Kujyou house, and then I'll walk up to their door and go inside until the limo comes to pick me up tomorrow morning. Tell me where the danger is in that!" Karin shouted beyond perturbed.

Her Mom glared at her crossing her arms and finally played the unbeatable 'Mom Card.' "I said you are not going, and as your Mom, you will listen to me, is that final!" Her voice could have cut though diamond it was so sharp.

Karin knew that was the end, she huffed and turned on her heels to head up to her room to call Himeka and sulk, when an idea hit her. Yeah it was something she swore she would never do but drastic times called for drastic measures. Faking a disappointed voice Karin hung her head trying to play off her Mom's emotions.

"And I was going to get Himeka-chan, Miyon-chan, and Ami-chan's opinions on all the boys we had information on," Karin said still hanging her head not only to give off the feel of disappointment, but to also hide her smile that kept threatening to show on her face. She slowly began to make her way to her room counting down the seconds it would take for her Mom to respond.

"Really?" her Mom asked suddenly interested in the idea of a sleepover hoping that her daughter had finally decided to get into the whole 'find me a husband' thing.

Karin smiled; she had it in the bag. Plus it wasn't like she was really lying. Girls always talked about boys at sleepovers anyway, she was just… stretching the truth.

--

"Thanks!" Karin yelled jumping out of the limo as soon as it pulled up to the Kujyou mansion not even bothering to let the driver open the door for her. It didn't matter who opened the door in her opinion as long as someone did it fast and let her get to her friends. She sprinted up the sidewalk to the front porch, only to give three loud raps on the door and hope from one foot to the other with impatience.

As she waited not being able to stay still, she took a quick peek around her checking out Himeka-chan's front yard and getting jealous as always. It was closer to the street than her own house and you could even see other houses and businesses from where she stood. Karin let her eyes soak in every inch of detail she could, it wasn't too often she got to see anything besides the cement garden that surrounded most of her house.

She called it that because she felt as if there was as much cement as there was garden; it wasn't like the school grounds where the woods were actual woods. No, it was too fake. Even the view from Himeka's house was better although it contained more cement, because the yard was real and then outside the yard may have been mostly cement but it was the city. People walked down the sidewalk outside the Kujyou ground gates. She could have watched them for hours, just imagining what they all did and where they were going.

She could barely see the street from her window in her room, but it wasn't the same because her house was on the outskirts of the city and therefore no one just ever walked by it.

The door squeaked slightly as it began to open and Karin turned around in a flash ready to greet her friend. She was surprised to find someone else there instead. "Kazune-kun," Karin exclaimed confused, "What are you doing here?"

Kazune opened the door thee rest of the way letting Karin come in as he answered, "I live here idiot." Karin couldn't help but frown at Kazune, but no matter, she wasn't going to let him ruin her good mood, and what did he mean by he lived there. That didn't make any sense.

"Karin-chan!" Himeka squealed running downstairs to meet her friend. Karin immediately smiled brightening up. They hugged in greeting as Kazune left the room, retreating as fast as possible.

"How did you convince your Mom to let you out?" Himeka asked curiously.

"I just convinced her that we were going to talk about a suitable husband for me," Karin said showing Himeka the extra bag she held that contained the profiles of all the eligible guys according to her Mom. But before Himeka could ask any more questions, Karin interrupted her with one of her own. "Hey, why was Kazune-kun doing answering the door. What's he doing here in the first place?"

Himeka motioned Karin to follow her up the stairs to her room as she began to explain, "Because he lives here, with us."

Karin scrunched her eyebrows in confusion at learning this fact, "Why doesn't he just live at his own house?"

"Didn't you know?" Himeka asked suddenly gravely serious and stopping walking. Karin only looked at Himeka more confused than ever. Himeka looked away not being able to keep eye contact with Karin as she told her what she knew. "Kazune-chan's parents died a long time ago."

Karin gasped at the news, she never would have expected. "I'm sorry," she whispered embarrassed that she had been so mean to him all week yelling all the time.

"It happened a long time ago Karin-chan," Himeka said smiling slightly trying to lighten the mood a little. "Don't worry about it, Kazune-chan moved in with us because he had nowhere else to go, but my parents didn't mind, they always had wanted a son as well as a daughter. So it's more like Kazune-chan is my big brother than my cousin," she added smiling brightly. "He just refuses to use any of our money."

"But then how does he go to our school?" Karin asked as she finally began to accept the idea that Kazune-kun was an orphan.

They began to walk again, now that the serious part of the conversation had faded. "He's at our school on scholarship," Himeka said matter-o-factly, "It doesn't matter how much my parents are willing to pay for his tuition. He absolutely refuses them. He likes to do things his way."

Karin smiled slightly, she could understand that, but she still had one last question after noticing how much interaction he seemed to have with the other students at school. "Is that why so many of the other students won't talk to Kazune-kun?"

Himeka gave Karin a pained smile before answering, "Yeah, a lot of the other kids think that Kazune-chan is under them because he isn't rich. That's why he doesn't fit in most of the time."

"But what about his fan club?" Karin asked confused how he could be looked down upon as well as looked up to.

"They just think Kazune-chan will eventually succeed in the world and get rich eventually," Himeka explained sadly.

Karin suddenly felt the urge to cry, "That's so sad, no one will just accept him for who he is, no one will just let him do what he wants to do," but as she said those words she wasn't quite sure if she was still talking about Kazune-kun or someone else…

By this point they had arrived at Himeka's door and she opened it for Karin seeing that her hands were full of all her stuff, only to find that Ami seemed to be interrogating Miyon about something.

"Awwww," Ami complained in fake disappointment, "Why won't you tell me."

Whatever it was, it had to have been awkward because Miyon's face was beet red. "It's too embarrassing." She protested shaking her head in refusal.

"Karin-chan!" Ami shouted excited finally noticing her friends in the doorway.

"What are we questioning Miyon-chan about?" Karin asked throwing her things on the floor not caring how they landed.

Ami smiled devilishly, "I was asking Miyon-chan who her crush is, but she won't tell."

"You know what Ami, I will tell you," Miyon said suddenly smiling as if it wasn't embarrassing at all. "But you have to come closer so I can whisper it to you," she said looking down as if uncomfortable.

Ami, Karin, and Himeka immediately went closer, all wanting to hear this for themselves. When their faces were only about a foot from Miyon, she smiled devilishly as she grabbed her pillow and wacked them all across the faces yelling, "Gotcha!"

That began the festivities of the night with the biggest pillow fight ever seen. They ran and screamed all over the house all with pillows in hand trying to hit the others. No one could truly be named the victor because by the time they had finished they were all close to passing out on the living room floor of one of the rooms downstairs. Because of the room's size, large, and the comfortableness of it, it was decided unanimously that they would sleep in there and probably mostly hang out in there as well.

Quickly they transformed the room into their party room by shoving all the furniture to the walls, laying out their sleeping bags in a circle, heads in, and bringing in as much junk food as they wanted.

Winded from their pillow fight and getting their room ready, it was easily decided that a game of something with less movement was needed. "Truth or Dare!" Ami had demanded and knowing better than to argue, everyone else agreed half heartedly.

They all settled on their sleeping bags, Karin on her stomach with her chin resting gently on her hands propping herself up slightly, Miyon with her arms wrapped around her legs, Ami criss cross, and Himeka on her knees.

"Miyon-chan, you first," Ami said determined to get back the girl for brushing around the bush on who her crush was. "Truth," she said very nonchalantly, "Or DARE," she said evilly to intimidate her.

"Truth," Miyon said trying to sound as if she wasn't nervous at all.

Karin, Himeka, and Ami all smiled knowing that Miyon had just fallen into their trap.

"Who do you like?" Ami asked innocently as Karin giggled slightly and Himeka couldn't help but blush slightly.

Miyon's mouth dropped open in surprise, although she supposed that she should have seen that coming a mile away. Her cheeks then began to heat up as she just thought of the person she liked and she quickly whispered it in complete embarrassment. "Yuuki."

All the girls squealed with excitement even if they had all already known. "Are you going to tell him?" Karin asked curiously.

"No way!" Miyon said shaking her hands in front of herself to emphasize the fact. "And you guys aren't either."

"Of course not," Karin said knowing that Miyon would have to tell him herself one day.

"Oh I have an idea," Ami said getting excited again. "Every time someone chooses truth, we should all have to answer the question."

All the girls laughed, anytime they had played this game or others like it, they always ended up changing the rules somehow.

"Okay, so who do you like Himeka-chan?" Miyon asked trying to get the focus of attention off of herself.

Himeka blushed at the idea of telling her crush but then just admitted that at the moment, there was no particular guy who she had a crush on. Everyone was slightly disappointed with that but quickly moved on to the next person.

"So who do you like Ami-chan?" Karin asked now dying to hear it.

Ami hesitated and then confessed, "I'm not really sure at this point if I like him or not."

"Who?" Miyon asked intrigued by the idea that Ami hadn't been at the school for very long and she might already have a crush on a boy.

Ami shook her head, "Not going to say, but as soon as I know if I like him or not, you guys will be the first to know."

The girls sighed in disappointment already knowing that was all they were going to be able to get from Ami. They just hoped that she would be able to decide fast if she actually liked the guy as more than a friend.

"Karin-chan, you're turn," Himeka said as all heads whipped around to face her.

"Yeah Karin-chan, any of those guys starting to look good to you?" Ami said referring to the many notes Karin had on all the possible future husbands.

Karin flipped over on to her back and stared straight up at the ceiling finding it easier to talk when she wasn't staring her friends straight in the eyes. "None of the guys are anything close to what I would like, they are all shallow creeps."

An air of seriousness flit though the room as the other girls stared at Karin. They hadn't really thought it though, but unlike them, Karin couldn't afford to get a crush on anyone. After this year was over, it was pretty likely that she would be getting married. They all shuttered at the thought and Miyon decided to break the silence with an idea that might cheer them up a little.

"Himeka-chan, it's your turn, truth or dare," she asked already knowing what Himeka would pick and what she would then ask.

"Truth," Himeka said with confidence.

"Okay, of all the guys profiles that Karin has, which one would you be the most likely to marry?" Miyon asked slightly nervous about the question.

For a moment silence filled the room, and then they all began to giggle at the idea of choosing husbands for themselves out of these papers. Quickly, Karin ran upstairs, fetched the profiles, and hurried back down tossing them up in the air to spread them out.

Next came the oh so important process of getting rid of the guys that were not acceptable under any circumstances and narrowing it down to just the best of the best. Most were put back in a stack deeming them unsuitable and not even an option in the girls' minds. After that it was time to choose.

"Himeka-chan, you first,"

Himeka went over the pile very slowly, completely embarrassed that she was actually doing this. There was only about ten that they had left, deemed suitable. She finally choose picking a nice looking boy who according to his profile was soft spoken and kind, but almost to the point of annoyance. No one was surprised by that pick. "Miyon-chan, you should go next," Himeka said lightly trying to get someone else to be the center of attention for a while.

"But you guys already know who I like, I don't need to pick someone out of this," Miyon blushed trying to convey what she really meant before giving up and just whispering it. "Wouldn't that be like cheating on Yuuki?"

The other girls all wanted to laugh at Miyon being worried about cheating on someone she wasn't even with, but they managed to stifle it and then proceeded to swear to Miyon that they wouldn't ever tell Yuuki about this and that it was just for fun and didn't really mean anything.

Slowly, Miyon picked a boy. They looked at him and no matter how they looked at him they couldn't understand why she had picked that boy of all the ones left. He wasn't particularly handsome, or the richest, or the most muscular or anything, but then again there wasn't anything particularly negative about him either.

"Well, he looks more like Yuuki than any of the others, so I figured if I couldn't have the real thing, then I would want the closest thing to it," Miyon explained as her face went beet red for the millionth time that night.

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" the girls couldn't help but chant. It was just so adorable of her.

"Your turn Ami-chan," Miyon said sitting down.

Ami didn't even hesitate, she went straight over to the pile of profiles and snatched up one in particular and showed the others before quickly explaining her process of choosing, "He is hot and dumb, I would marry him and divorce him the next day taking half the money," she said joking.

They all rolled on the floor with laughter at Ami's thought process. And just as they were starting to calm down, they looked at the guy's picture on the profile and realized he had a sort of 

dazed expression on his face as if he didn't even get was what going on, and that caused an whole other fit of giggles for the girls.

"Your turn Karin-chan!" they all shouted in her ears wound up from their laughter.

She froze though looking at the profiles that were spread out on the ground. Suddenly this game wasn't half the fun it had been before and Karin knew exactly why. For the others, it had been just that, a game, but for her, this was her actual future. It was very likely that this next summer she would be saying "I do" with one of these guys if her parents had their way.

Deciding not to worry her friends about it, she opted to just be indifferent about the whole thing, "I don't know guys, just give me the cutest guy and I'll be happy."

They all laughed including Karin, although it was slightly forced. Didn't her friends realize that she didn't really want to talk about finding the guy she was going to marry? No, they probably didn't. Ugh, this marriage thing was really getting on her nerves and she could swear it was starting to give her a headache. Couldn't they just stop talking about stuff like this?

"Karin-chan, your turn, truth or dare!" Ami shouted ready to go on to the next round.

It didn't take long for Karin to answer; she knew exactly what she would do to get the conversation topic off of boys. "Dare!"

* * *

So basically Kazune or Karin (although Kazune more so) can be compared to the ugly duckling because they do not fit in and there are people who think lowly of them. That's basically the connection of the fairy tale.

Sorry for putting the typical truth or dare in here. (I don't like writing truth or dare because it just doesn't seem very original to me) At least I did it a little differently, probably because this is the way me and my friends have always ended up playing the game.

Umm… nothing else to really say. Reviews are awesome! But then again we all know that already.

FFG- Jo


	5. Chapter 4 Jack and the Beanstalk

Disclaimer: I do not own Kamichama Karin.

Warning: OOCness and AU.

**Chapter Four: Jack and the Beanstalk**

"Me and my big mouth," Karin muttered shaking her head while walking up the stairs trying to be as quiet as she could. "I just had to go and ask for Dare!" As it turned out, not everyone had to do a dare like when they did truth, only the person who asked for the dare. What kind of crap rules were that?!

Karin huffed in frustration as she peered down the hall that Kazune's room was on. Nobody seemed to be there, and she could only hope that he wasn't in his room. She couldn't believe the dare that her friends had decided to give her.

'_Go to Kazune-kun's room and steal a pair of his boxers.'_

Didn't they know that this wasn't a movie; she couldn't just stroll right in, take a pair of boxers, and somehow be able to get out without him noticing. Her only hope was that he currently wasn't in his room. Thankfully, as she peered into his room, luck seemed to be with her.

However, Karin new better than to linger longer than what was necessary. As long as she remained in Kazune's room, there was a chance that she would get caught trespassing there by him. Better to get in and get out as fast as possible.

A quick scan of the room gave Karin the first impression that Kazune was a very boring person. It was probably one of the cleanest rooms she had ever seen, and besides that, nothing really stuck out. The walls were white and plain as well as the bed. He had a desk in one corner that had a few books on it; they all appeared to be school books or something educational. The only other things in the room were a bookshelf, a dresser, and a closet, but all of them were as basic as the rest of the bedroom.

Karin sighed looking at it all. She hadn't known what to expect, but she sure had thought that something a little more interesting would be in there. As she glanced at the bookshelf, she noticed that many of the titles were like 'The Sutton Guide to Your Brain' and 'The Vaccine Book: How You Know What's Right for You' or had names that Karin couldn't even begin to pronounce. It was obvious that Kazune was into the medical stuff, probably just a hobby of his or something. Though Karin couldn't help but think it was a strange hobby for a seventeen-year-old boy.

That wasn't why she was in his room though, no she wasn't there to figure out and judge what Kazune-kun did in his spare time. She was there for a much dumber reason, his underwear.

Karin rushed over to his plain black dresser and began to open drawers starting with the top and moving downward. Of course, his undergarments had to be in the very bottom drawer. When opened she found all of Kazune's boxers folded nicely just ready for the taking. She blushed 

slightly taking a black pair from the top just trying not to think too much about what exactly she was doing. But it was hard, considering she was holding a boy's boxers. All she wanted to do was scream and drop them as if they were on fire. She wasn't supposed to do this kind of thing.

However, Karin was interrupted from her thoughts by footsteps stopping outside the door. Her eyes widened in surprised, this could only mean one thing.

Without waiting to see if her deductions were correct, she dove into Kazune's closet, thankful that he kept it as clean and organized as the rest of his room. She then started to close the door behind her, purposely leaving it a centimeter open so that she could see out into the room and be sure of whenever someone entered or exited the room.

Just she had expected, Kazune walked into the room nonchalantly. As he closed the door behind him he leaned back against it closing his eyes and sighing as if he could finally relax. Karin couldn't help but watch him curiously. Suddenly he seemed a lot deeper then she had originally mistaken him for. Now that she knew that he practically refused to be rich… something was different about him.

She gripped his boxers close to her chest as she watched him from the dark closet, not even realizing her actions. She watched as he grabbed a book from his shelf and plopped down on his bed out of sight, she could only assume that he was reading. Karin listened to him for a while as every once in a while she would hear him flip his page or shift slightly on his bed. However, if she had been able to see him, she might have noticed how his eyes didn't seem to move from the same spot on the page.

As the minutes passed slowly, Karin began to feel hot and slightly sweaty in the closet. It wasn't very large and she was uncomfortable having to stay in just one position for so long. Her leg was starting to fall asleep and she wanted more than anything to move but was afraid that she might make too much noise and be caught by Kazune. For what seemed like the millionth time that day, she mentally cursed herself and her ability to get in situations such as this. Her only hope was that one of her friends downstairs would notice her long absence an-

Karin was interrupted mid thought by a knock on Kazune's door. She suddenly felt more alert, ready for anything.

"Come in," she heard Kazune say from his bed, and the door opened. Himeka popped her head into the room smiling at her cousin and not even noticing Karin, although for good reason.

"Kazune-chan, have you seen Karin-chan anywhere?" she asked smiling at her cousin.

Kazune paused for a moment, making Karin wonder, before he answered nonchalantly, "No."

"Okay Kazune-chan, sorry for bothering you," Himeka said closing the door behind her as she left.

Karin's jaw dropped open in disbelief. That was it?! Didn't the girls realize by now that she was probably trapped in Kazune's room? Why couldn't they distract him for just a moment so that she could escape? Was she going to be stuck in a freaking closet all night?

"You know you can come out now Karin, I know you're in the closet," Karin suddenly heard Kazune say.

She stiffened at his words. How did he know…

Slowly she opened the closet door hiding the pair of boxers behind her. Karin was expecting anger; after all, he had every right to be mad at her. He never had given her permission to come in his room. There was no point in making him madder because she had stolen his boxers too.

Surprisingly though, he just sat on his bed and kept reading as she came out. Almost as if he didn't really care that she had been in there all that time. "How did you know?" Karin squeaked out, too curious to not ask.

For the first time since she had come out of the closet, Kazune looked at her. Well, actually he rolled his eyes at her before pointing to his dresser drawer that was still open. Karin mentally cursed herself for being so reckless.

"I knew that one of you guys was in the closet since that really is the only place to hide in my room, but I didn't know who, until Himeka came in and asked for you," Kazune said as he finally closed his book and set it down on his nightstand before looking at Karin curiously.

She felt herself squirming under his gaze and could feel her cheeks heat up knowing what he was going to ask. "What exactly were you doing in my room?" he asked narrowing his eyes at her.

For a moment, Karin stopped breathing, trying to think of something to say as an excuse. She stood up quickly with her hands still behind her back holding his bunched up boxers. Finally she decided to just ignore the question all together. "Sorry for disturbing you and coming in your room," she said bowing her head slightly to Kazune catching him slightly off guard.

She began to inch towards the door as she continued to apologize, all the while keeping her back away from Kazune and the boxers hidden from his sight. "I know that I wouldn't want strangers in my room so it makes sense if you are mad at me, but I am really sorry and it's not like I actually did any damage, I mean if I did then you can tell me and I'll pay for it, although you might not want me to, which is okay too, and…" she rambled about not even sure exactly what she was saying.

"What's behind your back?" Kazune suddenly interrupted not caring to hear any more of the nonsense that Karin was spurting out, after noticing that she was being so carefully as to keep her back away from him, as she inched towards the door. He knew that she probably had been trying to act subtle about it, but this girl didn't seem to know the meaning of subtle. Plus, she wouldn't have just randomly come up to his room to hide in his closet.

Karin froze where she was and eyed the door. No way would she be showing Kazune what she had, so her only option was to make a run for it. At this distance, she had a pretty good chance of making it out of the room before he caught her.

She ran, but unfortunately for her, Kazune had been watching her reaction to his question and had known what she was going to do before she had even decided to do it. Therefore, as she made it to the door she found Kauzne standing in front of it blocking her way.

"Are those my boxers?" he asked in disbelief looking down at Karin's hand that was no longer hiding behind her back.

When he looked back up, he found her smiling at him and shrugging her shoulders like "oops," and that was when the chase began.

Quick as she could, Karin made a run for it, even if she couldn't go anywhere really. Kazune dashed after her though, extremely embarrassed that his boxers were in a girl's hands and that she wouldn't give them back. "Give them back!" he demanded as Karin jumped up on his bed and off onto the other side knocking into his nightstand and causing his book to fall to the floor as well as a few other things.

"Not until I show the other girls!" Karin shouted back as Kazune followed her lead, knocking over his desk chair and messing up his comforter on his bed.

The chase continued as the two knocked into pretty much everything in his room and within seconds it looked as if a tornado had come crashing through it.

Finally, Kazune managed to catch up just enough to grab Karin's shoulder, only to have her try and shrug him off by turning to face him and keep running backwards. Unfortunately this didn't have too much of an effect on Kazune since he had a strong grip, and running backwards didn't really lend itself to not tripping on the many things on the floor. It shouldn't have come to a surprise to them, but within seconds they were on the floor with Kazune on top of Karin straddling her.

Karin immediately began to squirm under him, flinging her arms all around and yelling "Get off me!"

"Not until I get my boxers back," he demanded trying not to blush at their position. She on the other hand didn't seem to notice.

Trying to get his underwear back, Kazune quickly pinned down Karin's arms at the elbows in an effort to stop her flailing about. Unfortunately for him, she was holding what he wanted in her hand, and therefore he couldn't grab it without letting go of her, thus letting her move and make it difficult to get anything from her.

He decided to try anyway, and was met with the results of Karin hitting him as hard as she could with her free hand, and while it didn't do as much damage as he had thought it might, all the 

same it was annoying and he wasn't able to take his possession back. Frustrated, Kazune pinned her arm back down to the floor.

Karin glared ruefully at the boy on top of her as he sighed in annoyance. "Would you just give me back my boxers already," he asked already knowing her answer.

"Never," Karin hissed not even thinking about the bet. No, this was a competition now between her and Kazune and she swore that she was going to win it.

He couldn't help but sigh at her response wishing for once that he could just give into her and let her win. Then again, this was not the battle to let her win. Those were his boxers and she didn't have any business stealing them, why was she even doing it in the first place?

Kazune then slowly began to move her arms above her head, still pinning them down to the floor. Thankfully Karin didn't even seem to notice; probably because she was too busy yelling at him to get off of her still.

Finally, her arms were above her head right next to one another and he was able to pin her wrists down together with just one hand. Meaning that he had a free hand finally to grab his boxers, and he did exactly that.

"Ha!" he yelled, sitting up with his boxers in hand, no longer needing to hold down the girl underneath him. When he looked back down underneath him though, she had a devious smile playing on her lips and he knew whatever she was planning wasn't good.

"Tickle Attack!" Karin screamed at the top of her lungs before sitting up as well as she could and attacking Kazune with her hands.

Of all the things she could have done, of all the things he could have resisted. But no, she had gone and tried to tickle him and he had fallen right for her trap as he began to roll on the ground in laughter. Karin tried to refrain from laughing as well as she changed positions to now be on top of him, but something about Kazune's laugh just made her begin to giggle as well. Even if this was war, it certainly was being fun.

Before Karin could lose herself in the laughter though, she snatched his boxers from where he was holding them loosely, and darted out of the room.

For a moment, Kazune was still laughing as the effects of Karin's attack began to wear off, and the moment he caught his breath he was back on his feet and running after her. "Cheater!" He yelled at her as she got to the stairs.

She quickly turned her head back and stuck out her tongue at him before dashing down the stairs screaming, "I got them!"

Kazune doubled his efforts of catching up as he heard her yell.

The girls were much surprised when Karin came running into the room with a pair of black boxers in her hands and a very mad Kazune chasing after her all the while yelling at her to give them back. As they ran all around the room, over furniture, around food, and somehow all the while managing to break anything, the three other girls just sat in the middle of the room giggling at their friend's antics. Neither Karin nor Kazune really seemed to notice.

Finally, after chasing after her for about a minute, Kazune managed to catch up to her grabbing her with one arm around the waist to keep her still as his other arm went up to where she held his boxers above her head, and snatched them away from her quickly, before storming out of the room red faced from embarrassment and anger.

For a moment, only silence filled the room and suddenly the smile that had adorned Karin's face, disappeared. She had only been having some fun, and she hoped that Kazune realized that and forgave her because now she realized that maybe he had been really embarrassed and was probably really angry with her.

Feeling the tension in the air, the other girls quickly began to scramble for a new topic to talk about and try and keep Karin's mind occupied. This was supposed to be for fun, there was no reason to be having a sleepover to save Karin from a night of matchmaking, if she was just going to start feeling all guilty for messing with Kazune.

Karin decided to let the girls distract her for the rest of the night and laughed as they told silly stories about all the years they had spent together for Ami's amusement, and as they reminisced on the last few weeks of school and how many crazy things had occurred lately. All the same, Karin couldn't help but feel a little guilty for what she had done to Kazune earlier on, and swore that she would apologize to him for it at some point.

* * *

Try as she might, Karin just couldn't get to sleep. Just a couple hours ago the girls had finally all settled down and had been just talking, and Himeka had been the first to go quiet as she fell into a deep slumber. Miyon had gone next followed shortly after Ami, but try as she might, Karin just couldn't get to sleep.

At first, she tried not to toss and turn too much for fear of waking up her friends, but soon she gave up on getting to sleep at all and decided to go to the kitchen for a glass of water hoping that might calm down her restless body.

As quiet as possible, Karin slipped out of her sleeping bag and tiptoed into the kitchen, shivering slightly at the cold air caressing her arms and because of the temperature of the chilly marble floor against her bare feet. Quickly she got a glass of water, mentally cringing at the noise she was making with the faucet, but knowing deep down it was highly unlikely she would actually wake someone with it.

However, when she turned back around from the sink so that she might sit down while sipping her water, what she found was quite unexpected. There in the doorway to the room was Kazune, and she couldn't help but notice that he still looked like he wasn't too happy with her.

Karin froze as he made his way over to where she was and got a glass of water for himself. She tried to speak but words seemed to refuse to come out of her mouth. She couldn't help but watch him ignore her profusely, and a sinking feeling came to her stomach as she worried that he might not forgive her for what she had done. Suddenly, she felt horrible. She wanted to apologize just like before, but now she wanted to do it soon and have him laugh again with her just as he had when she had tickled him. She knew that until the day she died, she would never forget that moment that he and she laughed so hard that it hurt, even if it had just been a contest.

Maybe since he was getting some water, she would have a chance to apologize and explain to him why exactly she had been stealing a pair of his boxers.

But to her extreme disappointment, the moment his glass was full he switched off the faucet and began to walk right back out of the room. Karin could feel her chance of apologizing slipping away with each step that he took away from her.

"Wait!" she called out before they both froze at the volume of her voice. For a minute, no one said a word as tension filled the air as they both listened for anyone to stir because of Karin's outburst.

When nothing broke the silence, they both began to breathe once again as Kazune turned back to Karin giving her a glare as well as a questioning look, not even bothering to voice his question.

As Karin looked into his brilliantly blue eyes, her stomach automatically did a little flip that she shrugged off as nervousness about apologizing. "I'm sorry… about earlier," she said softly looking down at her bare feet in slight shame.

Unknown to Karin, Kazune wasn't really mad at her. Well, at first he had been a little annoyed, but really he was just embarrassed that not only had the girls seen his boxers, but that Karin had beat him with a tickle attack. So now as he stood there looking at this cute girl who felt guilty he suddenly felt his cheeks heat up as he was tempted to go over to her and give her a hug and tell her that everything was fine and that she shouldn't worry so much.

Then again, he also knew that probably wouldn't be the best idea because Karin wasn't likely to respond to that well, and he also didn't really understand why he wanted to comfort her so much. He had never truly felt like this for anyone else, and he couldn't help but feel like he was getting into something that he probably didn't want to be a part of.

"Girls should learn to mind their own business," popped out of his mouth as he turned away from her before he could change his mind once again on what to say.

Karin's normal response would have been something along the lines of calling Kazune a sexist jerk, but for once she knew that he was right and only mumbled, "Yeah, I really should."

Kazune was surprised by her words and finally truly realized how guilty Karin was feeling about what had occurred earlier. Plus, if there had been any doubt in his mind before, it was surely gone now. He had overheard just two days ago that Karin was supposedly the richest girl in school but there was no way she could be and be apologizing to him, someone with no money to their name. He would have to ask Himeka about it later.

"Still," she continued as Kazune stayed where he was back still toward her, "It was pretty amusing… you know, running around the house and stuff."

Yeah, there was definitely no way that Karin was that rich, especially if she had enjoyed that pursue around the house as much as he had. Although he would never admit it to her or to anyone else for that matter, playing chase and running around the house had been fun. Without another word, he quickly walked away and back upstairs smiling slightly to himself, not wanting Karin to know just how much fun he had had.

As Karin watched his retreating back, she couldn't help but frown slightly. He hadn't said anything after her last comment and now she was just sure that he was still mad at her and maybe even more so than before. She really just needed to learn to keep her mouth shut. Quickly she downed the rest of her water and set the cup in the sink before making her way back to the other room where her sleeping bag was.

She slipped back inside it and just as her eyes began to shut, she promised herself that she would make it up to Kazune someday and that he and she would be friends… eventually.

* * *

Fairytale relation: Karin is like Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk and goes and steals something upstairs from Kazune who I guess you could compare to the giant. Yeah, it's just loosely based, you know.

So Kazune has admitted to himself that he likes Karin as a person, and he finds it hard to believe that she is as rich as most say she is because of the way she acts. Karin on the other hand believes that Kazune still doesn't like her and is very worried about it, and for some reason she is determined to be friends with him. Sorry, I know you guys don't need this explanation, I just wrote it because I needed it kind of. I have way too many thoughts floating around in my head.

Sorry, I'm going to be late on updates because I'm at college now and things are crazy. I'm trying to figure out my schedule so that I can still write and update a lot. Laters peoples.

FFG- Jo


	6. Chapter 5 Little Red Riding Hood

Apology: Sorry guys for taking so long to update this. First off, I'm at college and having a hard time writing pretty much anything and second off, this fic isn't actually my first priority. I have one that has been going on for almost a year and it's the one I'm really trying to work on in my free time. Sorry again.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kamichama Karin

Warning: A little OOC and definitely AU.

**Chapter 5: Little Red Riding Hood**

When Kazune came down the next morning, what he found wasn't exactly what he had expected. The girls were all rushing around trying to find and pack up Karin's belongings as quickly as humanly possible, and all the while Karin was trying to get ready doing things like putting on makeup and making sure that her dress was completely straight.

Something was up; after all, Karin was just going home, right? So why was it being so important that she look so perfect, so to speak. Once again, Kazune found himself wondering what exactly the deal was with Karin's home life. He decided that he really needed to just ask Himeka about it. Feeling like he shouldn't be spying on the girls, he went back to his room to try and study, although he already knew that he wasn't going to be able to concentrate.

"Okay, one last check," Karin said as they put her last bag of all the available and suitable men's papers by the door, ready to be taken out to the limo when it pulled up.

She put out her arms and spun around a few times so that her friends could look her over and make sure she looked well enough for her Mom to see her. She would have killed Karin if she had just decided to come home in Pajamas like the other girls had decided to do. _To never be seen in public as less than perfect_ was one of her Mom's favorite mottos.

"I can't see any problems," Ami said inspecting Karin thoroughly as Himeka and Miyon nodded along with her in agreement.

Karin smiled, reveling in the moment with her friends, as she was finally packed up, ready to go, and the limo hadn't even arrived yet, so for the time being she could relax.

However, her thoughts were interrupted by two sharp knocks on the door, and she immediately stiffened back up knowing exactly who it was. She was just thankful that the girls and her had cleared out all of the mess that had been visible from the front door. She could see her Mom forbidding her to come back if she found some reason for her not to.

Himeka quickly ran to the front door and opened it wide for Karin's Mom to enter the house. However, her Mom wasn't there, and instead it was one of the butlers from Karin's household looking all prim and proper despite the time of day.

"Mrs. Hanazono was called to assist Mr. Hanazono out of state in some of his business matters and therefore I will be picking up Miss Hanazono and be taking her home," he said all very dignified crinkling his nose slightly at the attire the rest of the girls were still dressed in. Karin mentally kicked herself, if her Mother had been the one to pick her up then she would have seen her friends all dressed in their pajamas and that would have been reason enough to suspend Karin from spending any more time with them, at least in her Mother's mind it would have been.

As it was, she was suddenly very thankful that her Mom had to go meet her Dad, probably to arrange some sort of business party-gathering, her Dad never was the one to be able to plan that sort of thing and it was right up her Mother's ally so it only made sense for her to do it for him.

Now she just had to order the butler not to tell her Mom anything negative even if she ordered him to. Easily done, but next time she would have to be sure to be more careful.

"Bye guys!" she yelled running out the door past the surprised butler, she probably would have to order him not to talk about her running and yelling too, but it was worth it just to see the look on his face.

What Karin expected to be a short weekend from having neither of her parents home, actually became quite long and drawn out after she got home, because the first thing she thought and wrote about in her diary was the sleepover and all that had happened at it. This reminded her of how mad Kazune had seemed to be at her, and suddenly she felt sick to her stomach. Abruptly she began to dread Monday and seeing him again, afraid that he might still be annoyed with her.

After that, the weekend passed slowly and Karin mentally cursed the fact that she finally had a weekend to herself and wasn't able to fully enjoy it because of the fight she had with Kazune. Then again, she couldn't help but wonder why she felt so bad because of the argument with him. In general she didn't like fights anyway, what sane person did, but she always seemed to clash with Kazune anyway, so why was it bothering her so much this time. Perhaps it was because she felt like for once she had truly upset him, or at least more so than usual.

Finally, Monday morning dragged in, and Karin's stomach hurt in anticipation. But as her Mom returned home early that morning and wanted to make up for all the things that they had missed doing over the weekend, she hurried off, not willing to spend any more time with her Mother than she had to.

When the limo pulled up to the school, Karin actually waited, for once, for the driver to come around and open the door for her. Then as slow as was humanly possible, she made her way towards the building trying to avoid a confrontation with Kazune as long as she could.

Looking up at the second floor at the classroom where Karin and her friends normally hung out before school, she caught the eye of Himeka who immediately started to wave to her smiling broadly. Ami, Miyon, and Micchi, who were all sitting around her, looked curiously at what she was waving at, and seeing Karin they started to wave and smile as well. Karin couldn't help but smile slightly to them, only happy that Kazune hadn't seen her yet. He must have been out of the room or sitting out of sight.

She then pointed to the left telling her friends that she was going down the west path to get to the side entrance to come in. Karin knew that path would take longer to get to the room and that's exactly what she wanted.

Himeka looked slightly confused as to why Karin was taking that route, but only shrugged her shoulders figuring she could just ask Karin when she got to the room.

With that, Karin headed down the path slowly while taking her time to look at all the scenery around her. In that moment, she couldn't help but feel slightly happy about her and Kazune's fight, knowing that otherwise she wouldn't have had an excuse to stay outside for so long.

However, Karin's way was suddenly blocked by a large person, a large man to be exact. At first she tried to just step around him, but as she took a step to the right, he took a step with her. Finally, she took a step back to take a good long look at who this guy was that was smirking at her like the entire situation was just hilarious.

She didn't recognize him. He looked older than her, so he must have been a new teacher or a substitute teacher, either way he didn't seem to know the unspoken rule that teachers had to dress a little nicer than the students, because he was just wearing a pair of baggie jeans and a plain black shirt.

Not only that, but she believed that the little marks all over the jeans were grass stains and she couldn't help but feel a little jealous of him, wanting to go do something like roll around in the grass and not care about the consequences.

His black hair was ragged and looked slightly dirty. When he smiled at her, it wasn't comforting at all; if anything it just made him more intimidating.

Refusing to be rude though, Karin just simply asked "Is there anything that I could help you with?"

When she spoke, his smile just seemed to grow more and more devilish, and Karin suddenly found her heart beginning to speed up. In a second, he had out a knife and demanded "Give me all your money!"

Karin's heart practically stopped at the sight of the weapon in this man's hands. She didn't have any idea of what to do. "I don't have any money," she admitted truthfully. She never brought money to school; she didn't have any reason to.

"Liar!" the man snapped at her taking a step forward and jabbing his knife slightly at her. Karin couldn't help but take a step back fearfully. What was she supposed to do?

"I'm sorry, but I really don't have any money with me," she said once again trying to convince the man.

Despite the fear welling up in her chest, Karin stood her ground knowing that she was in the right. However, when he grabbed her and begun to shake her slightly, yelling something about her being a liar and having a lot of money, Karin couldn't help but act on her instincts.

Without thinking she kneed him… in an area that wasn't too pleasant for him. It should have been no surprise to Karin when he fell to the ground in immense pain, but she hadn't even fully realized what she had just done.

However, now that he was on his knees in pain and weak because of it, Karin decided to run away, too bad he somehow was maintaining a tight grip around her arm. "Let go!" she demanded trying to pull away and getting nowhere with it.

He looked up at her with sadistic eyes, and Karin's heart quickly began to beat even faster. Before she could try to pull away again, he had pushed her slightly, catching her off guard, and slashed his knife up at her face. She didn't have time to do anything but throw up her arms in front of her face as her last line of defense.

She cringed at pain the flowed, as the knife made contact and dug into the back of her right arm. Opening her eyes, the sight of blood seeping out of her arm and starting to drip on her, made her slightly queasy.

"Now give me your money!" the man demanded yet again, still not understanding that Karin had nothing to give him.

Staring at him wide-eyed, Karin just held her arm not having a clue what to do. She could have sworn that she heard something say to run, yet her feet didn't seem to want to follow these instructions and they remained glued to the floor.

The man didn't seem to appreciate her silence, and without hesitation he began to swipe his blade back across at her once again. But as he raised his right arm to slash, a firm grip settled on his wrist as a blond-haired boy held tightly on to him. With a twist of the wrist, Kazune was able to cause enough pain to the man's arm that he dropped the knife, and without farther adieu, he punched the guy as hard as he could effectively knocking him out onto the ground.

"You okay Karin?" Kazune asked looking up at the girl after checking the man to make sure he was indeed unconscious.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said still holding her bleeding arm already having forgotten about it. Her legs were shaking so much that it was no surprise when the buckled and she started to fall to the floor.

"Whoa there," Kazune said leaping up and catching Karin under her left arm, keeping her from falling. It was then that he saw the cut and the blood that was seeping out. It made his stomach churn in disgust, not so much because of the blood, but because he knew exactly whose blood it was.

"I thought you said you were okay," he said more worried than annoyed. Without another word, he began to take off his jacket and handed it to her, all the while helping her support her weight, because she couldn't seem to stabilize herself.

"Here," he said handing it to her. She looked at him confused.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked holding the jacket, trying to keep the blood on her off of it as best she could.

"Put pressure on the wound, you don't want to lose so much blood," he said sighing as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But Kazune," Karin protested. He just stared at her like 'what now' and she quickly dove into the problem with this. "If you are supporting me like this, under my left arm, then how am I supposed to put pressure on the cut… I don't think I can walk yet without help." She admitted quietly.

For a moment, Kazune was silent as he thought. Then he quickly began to kneel, helping Karin sit down on the sidewalk. Without waiting to hear her questions about what he was doing, he took his jacket back from her hands and began to wrap it around her arm before tying it off.

"That should do until we get to the nurse's office," he said once again putting Karin's left arm over his shoulder and wrapping his right arm around her waist, so to help her back up to her feet. He tried to let her hold a little more of her own weight, but it seemed that Karin's legs had turned into jelly.

"Sorry," Karin whispered embarrassed at her inability to do something as simple as walk. She didn't understand what was wrong with her. Why did she feel to drained?

"Not your fault," Kazune said causing Karin to whip her head to look at him in astonishment. He refused to look back at her and just kept walking towards the front of the school where he knew the nurse's office to be.

Karin felt her cheeks heat up slightly, she liked it when Kazuen would be so nice, although for the life of her she couldn't figure out why he was being so kind to her. She thought he was mad at her, so what exactly was going on?

"Hanazono-san! Kazune-kun!" a voice yelled. Karin looked up to find that Micchi was running towards them.

"Nishikiori!" Kazune exclaimed at the same time as Karin shouted "Micchi!"

Karin didn't really care to repeat the events she had just gone through and instead closed her mouth and let Kazune do all the explaining. In seconds, Micchi had run back off towards the front office to repeat the tale to the principal as well as warn the nurse that Karin was hurt.

The moment that Karin and Kazune entered the front of the school, people surrounded them wanting to know what had happened. Apparently Micchi had yelled the entire story while telling it to the principal. Now, most of the school already was exaggerating the story and it seemed that most were under the impression that the man had a machine gun, Karin knew karate and had beat him up really good except a stray bullet had hit her in the shoulder, and finally Kazune had jumped into the picture strangling the man until he died.

When the students saw Karin's bloodied up arm with a pretty blood drenched jacket around it, all hell broke loose. They didn't calm until the principal came into the hall and made them all go to class while Kazune helped Karin into the nurse's office.

Upon walking in, they found Micchi waiting for them on one of the chairs meant for patients.

"Out!" the Nurse demanded the moment that Kazune had Karin sitting on a chair by herself. Besides the cut and being a little shaken up, Karin seemed to be alright, yet the nurse demanded that Micchi and Kazune leave while she bandaged up the girl. The two walked out hesitantly, and Kazune couldn't help but look back once at Karin, who appeared to be staring at him for some odd reason. She seemed slightly weirder than normal today, at least in his opinion.

He didn't want to leave her alone in there, but apparently having no say in the matter he still obliged and went to the hall with his friend. Micchi couldn't help but notice this. He smirked at his Kazune, already having a sort of idea of what was going to happen with these two.

"Take good care of Hanazono-san," Micchi said walking out of the front office. "She is like a little sister to me." Kazune looked up at his friend surprised; he hadn't realized that Micchi cared so much about this girl.

"Where are you going?" Kazune couldn't help but ask.

"Back to class to tell everyone where you two are, and let them know Karin's alright," Micchi said as he continued to walk away.

Not a moment after Micchi had disappeared around a corner, the nurse popped her head into the hall and said sweetly "She's all patched up now, you can come back in."

Walking into the office, Kazune couldn't help let out a sigh of relief when he saw Karin sitting looking much better than before, now that all the blood was gone.

She looked up, "Kazune-kun!" she shouted out leaping to her feet upon seeing him. Unfortunately for her, her legs hadn't seemed to have gotten back their complete stability and she started to fall forward. Yet, she didn't fall. Instead, she fell into Kazune who had leaped forward in order to catch her.

Blushing, Karin whispered "Sorry… thanks," refusing to look up at Kazune. He looked down at her confused by her reaction and why she had fallen in the first place. He sent a questioning look to the nurse.

"She is just a little in shock, I believe nothing even close to this nature has happened to Miss Hanazono, so it's just being hard on her," she explained. "Actually, she is doing quite amazing in how fast she is recovering already, she almost can walk again and should be able to go through the rest of the school day with no problems. Let me just go get some pain killers for Miss Hanazono to take for that nasty cut," and with that the nurse left the room, going back into a closet to search for whatever she needed.

Kazune looked back down at Karin who seemed to be finding the floor to be very interesting at the moment. He sighed, _what am I going to do with you? _"Come on," he said helping her make her way back to the small couch in the room where he could sit with her.

After sitting down, silence filled the air. Kazune could hardly stand it, it wasn't like he didn't like the silence, but he could tell something was bothering Karin, and he just wanted her to spit it out. "How bad is it?" he spit out trying to get her to start talking.

Karin looked up at him with her eyebrows crinkled slightly, not understanding what he was talking about. "Your arm?" he asked trying to clear up the confusion.

Understanding flashed on Karin's face before she looked down at her right arm, all bandaged up in pure white bandages. "It wasn't that deep actually, I shouldn't even need stitches." She paused not sure if she should really go on, but as she looked up at Kazune and found him nodding at her, she decided to continue. "It does kind of hurt though," she admitted quietly, hoping that Kazune wouldn't tease her about being weak or something.

"Next time just run away, why on earth did you just stand there and let yourself get cut?!" Kazune suddenly exclaimed. He hadn't known how much he hated the idea of Karin getting hurt until now. Looking back at Karin's face, he was surprised to see her just smiling at him and looking him straight in the eyes.

"What!?" he said confused by her sudden change of behavior.

"You care," she simply said.

"What?" he asked again, if possible even more confused.

"You cared whether I got hurt or not," Karin said as her cheeks began to change a slight pink. She couldn't continue to look him in the eye and instead opted for closing her eyes and putting her head back as if she was looking at the ceiling. "I thought you hated me," she confessed to him.

"Well you are kind of annoying but I don't hate you," he admitted back, teasing her slightly.

Once again, a silence came down between the two. However, this time, Karin was the one to break it. "Are we friends?" she asked truly wondering what to call Kazune.

Looking over at him, she found him smiling at her before nodding to answer her question. Karin couldn't help but smile back.

Just then, Karin and Kazune heard some kind of commotion coming from outside in the front office.

"How could you let this happen?! I swear someone is getting fired today!" they heard a voice bellow.

Another, higher pitched voice rung out annoyingly against the first one asking, "Where's my baby? Is she alright? If she got hurt, where? Was it on her face?"

"I pity the child of those parents," Kazune said lifting an eyebrow at all the ruckus the two were making.

"So do I," Karin said sadly before trying to stand up on her own.

"Whoa there!" Kazune said for the second time that day, as he leapt to his feet to help Karin stabilize herself. "What are you trying to do? You should be trying to rest as long as you can!" He said sharply, worried that Karin was going to push herself too hard and end up getting hurt all over again.

"I suggest you escape when I go out there," Karin said seemingly random to Kazune.

"What?" he asked confused.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine, I can even walk now," Karin said pulling away from Kazune and taking a few wobbly steps towards the door. He wasn't that impressed by it, but couldn't do anything as Karin walked out of the nurse's office.

Immediately he heard the two annoying voices scream, "KARIN!" _So those are Karin's parents._ Kazune felt immediately embarrassed at his comments.

He walked over to the door and opened it as quietly as he could, trying not to be noticed by anyone. Turns out all his effort was completely in vain, because Karin's parents probably wouldn't have noticed him even if he had made a huge ruckus.

Karin's Mom, a petite woman with too much make up on, was currently checking over her face for any type of injury and saying something about how thankful she was that no visible damage was done and there still was hope yet for Karin. Kazune was confused by that comment, what was there hope still yet for Karin?

The girl's Dad, who was big enough that Kazune was sure he never wanted to get on this guy's bad side, was so enraptured in yelling at the principal and threatening to take away all the money they had so generously donated to the school because of this atrocity. The principal was constantly shrinking away from this huge man and looked as if he was about to just run out of the room in pure fear.

He could completely understand why Karin seemed annoyed with her parents.

Giving a small wave to Karin, that was returned by her along with a little smile, he slipped out completely unnoticed by all the adults and he headed to class.

"I swear you better tell me what you are going to do to fix this problem!" Karin's Dad spit out in the principal's face.

"A-already se-se-security cameras are b-being p-put up b-by all the g-gated entrances," the man managed to stammer out, scared half to death, with good reason.

At that time, the nurse came into the front office saying, "Yes, now security is going to be tighter than ever. This was just an accident; apparently that man was some escaped convict or something, scary to think that he got out of jail." Karin's parents seemed to have no real affect on her and she was as outspoken and demanding as always.

"Thank goodness Mr. Kujyou was there or else this scratch might have been a lot worse," she said motioning Karin's arm before adding, "he stopped a lot of the bleeding with his quick thinking, and I believe that he was actually the one to knock the criminal out."

For a moment both Mr. and Mrs. Hanazono were quiet, something very rare between the two of them. A quick glance at each other reassured the other that they were indeed thinking along the same lines.

"Ahem," Karin's Dad cleared his throat demanding everyone's attention. "I want to meet this Mr. Kujyou."

* * *

Little Red Riding Hood: Umm basically Karin got attacked like Little Red Riding Hood, and was rescued by Kazune who could be seen as the woodsman. That's basically the only connection; yeah I know it's farfetched.

Hope you all enjoyed this though, so basically Karin and Kazune are now definite friends, and Karin's parents want to meet him, what could that be about? Keep writing.

FFG- Jo


	7. Chapter 6 Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Sorry for the late update. Hope the extremely long chapter kind of makes up for it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kamichama Karin

Warning: May be a little OOC and is AU. (Sorry if they seem more OOC than usual, I really hope they aren't) (Also the chapter starts with a small timeskip just so that no one gets at all confused. Basically a couple of days have passed.)

**Chapter 6: Goldilocks and the Three Bears**

Karin felt extremely uneasy. Both of her parents seemed completely at ease, but then again the reason she didn't like what was going on was because she didn't really understand it. Why would her parents want to meet Kazune so badly?

The day that she had been attacked, of course they hadn't let her go back to class with excuses of her needing to rest, even though she had tried to tell them that she was perfectly fine. However, the next day when she had gone back to school, her mother had sent an envelope with her to give to Kazune. She had been extremely curious to see what it was, but knew better than to look for herself. She just hoped that Kazune would share with her what it was.

Coming in the class her friends immediately rushed her with questions of concern; after all they hadn't been able to talk to her since the incident. She had gone on to let them know that she was perfectly fine and all thanks to Kazune-kun.

He had actually smiled at her when she had walked in that day, and she couldn't help but smile back, feeling immensely thankful that he was indeed her friend. Micchi couldn't help but see the small exchange between the two, and immediately suspicions began to form as well as hope for Karin. The poor girl really did need some help.

After school Karin had given the envelope to Kazune who looked at it curiously and then began to tuck it into his backpack, only to have Karin beg him to open it right then. Rolling his eyes at her, he had complied with her request to find that it was an invitation to have tea at the Hanazono residence after school that Friday.

Karin remembered how he had looked at her questioningly and she knew exactly what he was asking without him having to say a word. "I have no idea what it's about," she had answered feeling confused as well. "Maybe my parents just want to thank you." But something about that didn't strike her as right. She just had an ebbing suspicion that her parents were up to something.

Now that it was Friday, and she sat at the dining room table with them, she still hadn't managed to figure out what exactly this was about. She only knew that Kazune was due to show up any second, without fail the doorbell rang as if cued.

A moment later, Kazune was led into the dining room by one of the butlers, who he nodded to appreciatively before the man left the room. Karin's parents didn't notice, but the small gesture was seen by Karin, and she couldn't help but feel like Kazune was a much better person than most people seemed to think.

"Why don't you take a seat," Mr. Hanazono said politely smiling at Kazune.

Karin smiled; so Kazune and her were finally going to find out what exactly this was all about. Surprisingly they had acted a little more civilly to each other all week and both had been deeply curious regarding what this all was about.

Kazune took a seat nodding his head at both Mr. and Mrs. Hanazono as to show his regards to them. For a moment nothing was said and an awkward silence filled the room.

Finally Mrs. Hanazono cleared her throat and smiled fakely at Kazune before asking, "So how goes your studies Mr. Kujyou?"

Karin's jaw almost dropped in surprise. '_How goes your studies,'_ what was her Mom playing at?

"They are excellent, thank you," Kazune said as politely as possible before glancing over at Karin asking an unspoken question. Somehow lately the two of them had managed to understand each other well enough that words weren't needed half the time, not that they weren't used. She shrugged her shoulders in response.

Another awkward silence followed and Karin tried hard not to squirm in her seat with how uncomfortable it was getting in that room. Thankfully, at that moment, one of the maids walked in with the tea interrupting the silence. She was followed in by another who had little foods for them to sample along with their tea.

The ice was broken as small talk began, all without Karin saying a word. Her father hadn't even wanted her to join them for tea, so she had been instructed by him that she wasn't allowed to say a word the entire time if she wanted to come. He said it would be good practice because there were times that the wife was supposed to be quiet and let the husband do all the talking. She had forgotten how much more of a chauvinistic pig her father was than Kazune.

At first, Karin was relieved that all the awkwardness had been erased from the room and could only hope that Kazune didn't notice how quiet she was being. When her eyes caught with his though, he tilted his head to the side as if questioning what exactly was going on. She could only imagine his confusion at why she was staying so silent. She looked down at her lap not knowing how to respond without words and feeling a bit confused herself.

By this point it appeared that her parents were pretty much just questioning Kazune on every aspect of his life.

"Where do you live?" Mr. Hanazono asked.

"The Kujyou residence," Kazune said trying not to sound sarcastic, did these people not think before they talked.

"Do you like it there?" Mrs. Hanazono asked.

_Like I'm going to say I don't like it, _"Yes, I enjoy my time there very much."

"What grade are you in?"

"I'm a senior."

"How old are you?"

"I'm seventeen but will be eighteen in February."

"Can you drive?"

"Yes, I got my license as soon as I turned sixteen."

"What kind of car do you drive?"

"I don't drive a car." _Like I'm going to tell you what I really drive._

"Do you like school?"

"Yes, I enjoy the learning process very much."

Karin was starting to get bored. This "tea time" was pretty much an interrogation, and she already knew all the answers.

"What do you do in your spare time?"

"I study."

"Do you ever go out and just have some fun?"

Kazune was immensely confused. Where were they coming up with this kind of question, and more importantly why? What exactly were these people getting at? "I like to exercise a lot," he said. _I'm seriously not going to tell you all of the stuff I like to do for fun._

"Do you have a boat Mr. Kujyou?"

Kazune was startled by the random question. "Ummm… no."

Karin who had been zoning out bored and tired of wondering what this was all about, suddenly snapped back to attention. _No they wouldn't be._ She suddenly had a small idea of what her parents might have been thinking.

"What's your favorite food to eat?"

More than ever before, Karin wanted to slam her head down on the table. She couldn't help but start to say something wanting to warn Kazune about what her parents were trying to do.

"Quiet Karin," her father said sharply not even taking the time to look at her when he reprimanded her. She squeaked in surprised and clamped her mouth shut, obeying her father.

Kazune couldn't help but scowl a bit. He didn't like the way Karin's father was treating her, as if she was just something he could control. Once again Kazune realized how much Karin's life wasn't like everyone at school made it out to be… perfect.

Automatically, Kazune's fists began to clench under the table. He suddenly felt very protective of Karin and therefore was feeling pretty pissed. Not only at the kids at school that talked like they knew everything about how perfect Karin's life was, but at Karin's Dad as well who obviously could learn a few lessons in how to be a better parent.

Karin on the other hand, was looking down in slight shame that Kazune would have to witness her getting in trouble like that. Followed by her cheeks flaring up in embarrassment of what she had just been trying to warn Kazune about.

They were trying to see how rich he was. So far all of her parents questions had been asked in a roundabout method, but after seeing them pull this stunt with a couple of suitor's parents, Karin knew when her parents were trying to get information out of someone. It was obvious; they wanted to deem if Kazune was a suitable husband for her, and by suitable- mostly just rich.

Her face burned with embarrassment. She hadn't felt this embarrassed… ever. Granted when they had done the same with Micchi, she had felt uncomfortable, but she had known from the start that they wouldn't think he was rich enough for her. Why he wasn't, she didn't understand, after all, he was pretty well off. But her parents were picky and only the best of the best would be deemed good enough for her hand.

Then again, she shouldn't be that embarrassed about Kazune if that was the case, since he wasn't rich at all. He didn't have a chance of being approved by her parents… and yet she felt more mortified by Kazune marrying her than she had with Micchi. She couldn't even bring herself to look up at Kazune.

"Okay that's enough!" Mrs. Kujyou said highly frustrated with the way things were turning out.

Karin's head immediately snapped up, and Kazune impulsively sat up straighter in surprise. "Please do not shout Dear," Karin's Dad said seemingly unaffected. However his wife couldn't help but notice the small glare that came along with it telling her to behave.

She huffed slightly but immediately covered up her frustration with a cheesy smile asking, "We just are curious about your financial status."

Kazune was taken off guard by the upfront question. _They want to know how much money I have?_ He didn't answer for a moment trying to figure out why on earth Karin's parents were trying to figure out something that was not any of their business. Looking up he found both of the Hanazono adults leaning forward in anticipation and Karin more red in the face than he had ever seen before. What the hell was going on here?!

Kazune was extremely tired of these people; they were acting extremely rude in his opinion, and really needed to be put in their place. He was about to make some remark about them needing to learn to mind their own business, but Karin surprisingly interrupted his thoughts.

"They just want to know if you are rich," she said still refusing to look up at him. Karin's Dad immediately glared at her and her Mom "shhhhhed" her before both looked back at Kazune still awaiting an answer.

He realized that any sort of answer that came across rude probably would just get Karin in more trouble, and he could easily see her parents forbidding her from seeing him anymore. That just was the kind of people they were. He had seen often how rich people acted and what they managed to get away with, and these two were clearly some of the worst from what he had seen.

"I'm not rich at all," Kazune admitted before biting his tongue to keep himself from retorting that not that it was any of their business. When neither of the Hanazonos said anything, he continued. "My parents died when I was younger and my uncle and aunt took me in as their own, they have money… I don't." He said it matter of factly and Karin could tell by his tone that he didn't want any sympathy; he just wanted them to know the whole story.

However, Karin's parents didn't seem to get the message and probably wouldn't have cared if they had. Mrs. Hanazono immediately sighed in frustration as she sat back in her chair in obvious disappointment, also not caring if their guest knew it. Mr. Hanazono on the other hand, just looked very thoughtfully at Kazune, rubbing underneath his chin as if he was forming some sort of plan.

"Well, I'm sorry to have wasted your time Mr. Kujyou," Karin's Mom said standing up and obviously making the implication that it was time for Kazune to leave and there was nothing more they needed him for. He stood up understanding what she was trying to get across and not wanting to cause any sort of scene, for Karin's sake.

"Now hold on a moment," Karin's Dad said surprising everyone. "There might be some sort of arrangement we could come to."

The fake smile that had been on Mrs. Hanazono's face slowly began to fade and frustration overtook it. "Why Dear, this is not what we are looking for," she said sharply.

"You overstep your boundaries," He snapped back at her making her flinch as if she was physically hurt. Karin and Kazune's eyes suddenly met as they felt even more uncomfortable with the situation that they were in. They really didn't want to stand around and witness some sort of fight between Karin's parents.

Thankfully, Karin's Mother decided to hold her tongue and opted to just glare slightly at her husband as he continued. "Please sit back down Mr. Kujyou," he said gesturing with his hand towards the seat that Kazune had been sitting in previously.

Kazune followed the man's instructions wearily, wishing that he could already be gone of this stuffy house and feeling extremely bad for Karin who must have had to deal with this on a daily basis. Still, he was curious at what this guy wanted now as well as why he had wanted to know about his financial situation before. He decided that he would have to ask Karin later.

"So Mr. Kujyou," Mr. Hanazono started, "Since you are not extremely endowed in the monetary sense, I would presume that you got into the school on scholarship."

Kazune had to admit to himself that even if Karin's Dad was an ass, at least he wasn't a dumb one. "That's correct," he answered cautiously.

"So I can assume that you **are** well endowed in the scholarly sense," Karin's Dad added.

"I'm ranked number one in the class," Kazune said stating a fact and not trying to brag, he was proud of his achievements but really didn't want to spread it around, after all, why did it matter if everyone knew that he was smart. He was the only one that really needed to know that.

Mr. Hanazono was nodded his head and said, "good, good," as he smiled at Kazune as if his plan was already completed. Kazune opted to just stay quiet until the man had explained everything.

"You see," Mr. Hanazono began, "My daughter is what you might say- not intelligently inclined."

Karin almost died right then and there. She couldn't believe her own father! Her eyes went wide in shock and when Kazune peered over at her she could tell that he was trying not to laugh. He smirked slightly and Karin immediately put her hands over her face as if trying to hide from him, there was no way she was ever going to live this down.

"What I wanted to ask," Mr. Hanazono said as if this was a completely normal situation, "was if you might tutor my daughter, I would even pay you for your services."

Before Kazune could answer this question though, Karin's Mother interrupted with protests. "Karin does **not **need a tutor, all she needs is-" but before she could finish she was cut off by her husband as he stood up extremely annoyed.

"We will discuss this later," he said sternly, getting his point across to her instantly. Then a cheerful grin replaced his glare and he cheerfully turned to Kazune and asked "So how about it?" as if nothing had just occurred between him and his wife.

"I would be happy to tutor your daughter," Kazune said smiling at Karin, whose hands dropped from her face stunned that Kazune had actually said yes to this request. "I only have a couple of conditions," he added looking back at Karin's father, looking him straight in the eyes.

"I'm willing to hear these conditions," Mr. Hanazono said visibly relaxing in his seat.

"First off, I don't want to be paid for my tutoring," Kazune said surprisingly.

Karin's father straight away looked confused and was about to ask about this request when Kazune beat him to the chase and told him exactly why. "Teaching someone else the material will make me study harder, so in fact it will be doing me a favor."

Karin's Dad nodded in agreement understanding perfectly why Kazune didn't want to be paid. Kazune continued, "I also would like to suggest that Karin just come home with me after school every day for our secessions seeing as that we could get started right away as well as that my Uncle and Aunt's home is the perfect study environment."

When Mr. Hanazono still looked unsure of the idea, Kazune continued trying to convince the man to see it his way. "It would also be best for Karin if she could study there where I could keep a heavy eye on her at all times and such." Knowing that her Dad probably was worried about safety issues, especially after what had happened so recently, he kept going.

"I would make sure to be with her at all times so that nothing could possibly happen to her," he said looking Mr. Hanazono straight in the eyes.

The look Kazune was giving him was the final convincing point. It was obvious from a few days ago that Kazune was fully capable of protecting Karin if anything was to happen to her, but now it became apparent to Mr. Hanazono that perhaps Kazune wasn't just willing to protect her… but wanted to.

He was slightly afraid that this boy could be falling for his daughter, but at the moment it didn't concern him too much. He knew that Karin, if nothing else, wasn't going to let herself fall for some boy that she knew was impossible for her to be with. She knew better than that, so who cared if the boy broke his heart pinning after his daughter, as long as his little girl was alright, he would be okay.

Karin's Mom however wasn't as okay with the idea as her husband and began to speak out against it. She was cut off once again by Mr. Hanazono, as he said, "Deal," standing up and sticking out his hand to shake Kazune's.

"Would you please escort Mr. Kujyou out, Karin," He added. "I assume that she will go home from school with you starting next Monday," he directed at Kazune.

"Of course Mr. Hanazono," Kazune said bowing his head slightly and then turning to the door as Karin came around the table and up to his side.

As they walked out the doors, both could hear Karin's parents start to bicker again as it was obvious that Mrs. Hanazono was more than displeased with the current situation. Without thought the two picked up their pace wanting to get away from the shouting as soon as possible.

The moment they were outside, Kazune turned to thank Karin for the tea, feeling that if there was one person who deserved to be thanked, it was her. Surprisingly though, he found her with her arms wrapped around his neck squealing in excitement and repeating over and over "thank you thank you thank you." She was almost jumping up and down with her enthusiasm.

"Geez woman you're going to break my neck," Kazune said, yet he couldn't help but smile at the girl's antics.

"Oops sorry," she exclaimed pulling back her arms immediately and hugging them close to her chest instead, unable to keep herself from smiling. "Thank you thank you thank you…"

"Alright," Kazune interrupted laughing; Karin went silent but still couldn't help but bounce up and down slightly in excitement. "Wow, I'm guessing you are just really excited to get out of the house," he guessed shaking his head in amusement.

Karin's grinned even larger, if it was possible, and leaned forward slightly and said, "You have no idea."

Kazune grinned right back at her, "Well, you know I'm not going to go easy on you, your grade average needs a lot more improvement."

Karin's smile slowly drained from her face as she began to realize exactly what having Kazune as a tutor would entail. "Wait a second, how do you know what my average is?!" she demanded.

Kazune just raised an eyebrow at Karin not even bothering to answer her.

She blushed in mortification of what Kazune was wordlessly telling her, "Is it really that common of knowledge that I don't do too well in school?" she asked whispering.

He just rolled his eyes before walking away giving a slight wave, not even taking the time to turn around, as he spoke, "I'll see you on Monday, and be sure to wear comfortable shoes."

With that Karin scrunched her eyebrows confused. _What exactly did Kazune mean by saying wear comfortable shoes?_

* * *

All day Karin had barely been able to contain her excitement about what was going to happen after school. The entire weekend she been thinking about it and on several occasions her Mother had reprimanded her for daydreaming, rather than focusing on all the boys' profiles that she had collected.

Karin looked down at her feet and was unable to keep a smile from spreading on her face as she wiggled her toes around in her shoes. They were tennis shoes, something that she had never owned in her entire life.

Somehow, she had managed to convince Himeka to go out and buy her a pair, so as to oblige Kazune's instructions. Never before had she gotten to wear such shoes.

Before, she had always worn nice dress-like shoes to school such as small heels. She had to admit they were cute, but after walking around all day in a pair of normal shoes, there was no way she was ever going to wear an uncomfortable shoe again. Even if it meant having Himeka bring her tennis shoes to change into everyday. That was if Himeka was okay with the idea, and it was more than likely that she would be.

Karin looked back up at the clock which had seemed to be going in slow motion just as it had been all day. Now that it was the final class, each minute that passed seemed more like hour. She was finding it highly frustrating.

For the millionth time that day she wondered what exactly she was going to do at Himeka and Kazune's house. Sure Kazune was supposed to be tutoring her, but maybe he would let her take the day off or something and they could just all hang out for a while. Then again, knowing Kazune, that wasn't likely to happen. Karin sighed; all she knew was that it couldn't be as bad as home.

Finally, the bell rang.

Karin quickly gathered her belongings and rushed out into the hallway along with her other classmates. She didn't have to look for Kazune though, as he was already leaning up against the wall waiting on her. Curious, she wanted to ask him how he managed to do that, after all, this had been the second time it had happened, but she didn't ask already knowing his response would be something like rolling his eyes at her. Instead she just smiled brightly at him.

Kazune couldn't help but smile back at her. It was strange; it wasn't like he didn't like to smile, but it seemed like every time Karin was around, he just did it a lot more. He tried not to think too much of it as the two of them left the building and went to ground's entrance where Himeka was going to meet up with them.

As they walked, Kazune noticed the way that Karin walked, with a slight bounce in her step, and he chuckled at her.

"What?" she asked hearing his suppressed laughter and feeling inquisitive.

Kazune grinned as they continued to walk side by side as he answered, "You're just so excited about getting tutored."

She frowned slightly back at him. He was always teasing her like this and she couldn't restrain herself from making a snappy comeback. "Isn't it a good thing that I'm excited about studying," she said even though both knew that it wasn't the studying she was so dang happy about.

"Sure…" Kazune said catching Karin off guard. He wasn't ever one to agree with her, so it was no surprise to her when he continued afterwards. "That is if you are a nerd," he said smirking down at her.

Karin stopped and put her hands on her hips. "I am not a nerd," she said slightly glaring at Kazune.

"No, you're not smart enough to be," Kazune said as he continued to walk forward with his hand on his chin as if he was really considering her to be a nerd.

"Kazune-kun!" she exclaimed slightly pink in the cheeks feeling slightly self-conscious about her grades suddenly.

"Don't worry, after I'm done with you, you'll be able to be a nerd," Kazune said smiling confidently over at Karin as they stopped at the school ground's exit.

Karin frowned in slight annoyance and crossed her arms, "Cocky bastard."

Kazune was about to call her some sort of name back ready to fight back, however, that was the exact moment that Himeka decided to show up. "Karin-chan! Kazune-chan!" she yelled running up to the two of them only to almost trip on the way.

The small frown that had been on Karin's face before immediately began to fade away. "Hey Himeka-chan thanks for the shoes again, they are so comfortable," she said as her normal smile adorned her face once again. Kazune was surprised with how fast she managed to change her attitude.

Himeka smiled sweetly, "I'm glad you liked them."

"Okay, let's get going," Kazune said deciding to change the subject before it could get permanent attached at girly things such as nail polish and clothes. He really didn't want to hear about that kind of thing. At hearing the word 'shoes' he had just tuned them out immediately on instinct.

Both Himeka and Karin nodded in agreement before Kazune and Himeka walked through the gate and started down the sidewalk. Karin followed unsure where they were going but knowing well enough to follow them. "Who picks you guys up after school anyway?" Karin asked curious, suddenly realizing that she was always the first to leave among all of her friends and therefore she had never seen who picked them up.

Himeka giggled slightly at her friend's question and Kazune decided it would be best if he just let his cousin answer Karin. "We don't get picked up at all," Himeka admitted cheerful as always.

For a second Karin struggled for words unsure of how exactly to respond to that, "huh?"

"Wow, aren't you the articulate one," Kazune remarked teasingly.

Karin scowled in annoyance, "Shut up Kazune-kun. Himeka-chan will explain it to me."

But now Kazune wanted to be the one to explain. After all, getting her all riled up was his specialty. "We only live about a mile or so away so it would be a waste of gas for someone to come pick us up."

"So…" Karin said, finishing his thought, "you guys walk home from school?"

Himeka nodded and Kazune just smirked to himself as he imagined what could possibly be going though Karin's head at the moment.

For a moment she was silent as what he had just said processed through her brain, and then it was as if it all just clicked. "Kazune-kun!" He hoped she wasn't too mad at him. "I can't believe you didn't tell me that we were walking home!" she said stalking up right to him, and then having to resist the urge to kick him really hard in the shins as they continued to walk.

He just grinned at the way she was getting angry, it always was amusing. "What if I hadn't been able to get comfortable shoes for today?!" she asked exasperated.

"You would have walked to my house in uncomfortable shoes," he said matter-o-fact like. Karin now resisted the urge to slap herself.

"Really?" she asked sarcastically. Kazune only nodded his head in agreement knowing that would rile Karin up more than anything else. This was how most of their fights seemed to be now, one of them annoyed and the other just messing with them. He remembered how when they had first met they both would actually get mad, but at some point they just got to know each other well enough that they knew what buttons to push to get the biggest reaction out of the other.

Karin sighed really getting annoyed with Kazune, _didn't he realize how bad this situation could have turned out, and could still turn out._ "Just be happy that Himeka was able to bring me a pair of tennis shoes for me to wear," she spit out refusing to look at Kazune any longer.

_Bring her shoes? _"Wait, you don't own any tennis shoes, aren't you rich?" Kazune asked suddenly confused.

With a small sigh Karin just asked pointing down at her feet, "Do you honestly think my Mom would let me wear something like these in public?"

Kazune had to admit to himself that she had a point. He had met her Mother and that had been enough to convince him that she probably thought anything less than a heel wasn't acceptable in public. Suddenly he felt a little bad, realizing that he could have caused Karin a lot of trouble. However, at the moment she didn't seem that mad anymore since he had kept quiet after her last comment.

Kazune looked over at Karin who had apparently decided that what was done was done and had moved on to looking around as the three of them walked to the Kujyou household. It was then that he began to get the idea of how restricted she really was in life.

While he normally would have zoned out to his surroundings like Himeka currently was, Karin seemed to be enraptured in everything. You would think that she had never been outside before.

In reality, Karin had been outside plenty of times, but only in her own yard and never in the middle of the city. Anytime she had seen any part of the city she had been in her limo only getting out for a minute at most when going up to the school grounds or someone's door. Now her getting to look around and walk around on the sidewalks where she had seen so many walk before, she was slightly dumbfounded.

The way everything smelled (not always pleasantly), the speed of the cars on the street, the way parts of the sidewalk were crumbling from age, and immensity of some of the buildings, were just a few of the things that caught her eye more now that she was no longer in a car and was just walking along the street. She couldn't help but feel amazed at everything.

Kazune just stared as she looked at anything and everything almost in child-like wonder. It surprised him just how interesting she found everything. Her jaw was dropped without her even realizing it and he wanted more than anything for that walk to continue. However, much too soon for both of them, they got to their destination and walked into the Kujyou yard.

Karin stopped right before she had to turn to go up the sidewalk that led to Kazune's house and just started out at everything one last time.

Himeka looked at her friend curiously but then went into the house figuring that Karin was just deep in thought, and wondering what she might be thinking so seriously about.

However, Kazune stopped about half way up the yard's sidewalk and turned back around to watch Karin as she took one last glace around at everything she could. I small smile made its way to her face as she realized that she would get to see all of this tomorrow when she walked home with Kazune and Himeka. Never before had she felt so peaceful. True, the city wasn't the quietest place in the word, nor would it be considered as serene by most, but to her, it was real, something that she didn't get to see much of at home.

It was then that Kazune made a silent vow to himself to help this girl in not only her studies. He didn't completely understand what the deal was with her life, but he did know that there were parts of it that were royally screwed up, and that he didn't like that at all. He absentmindedly wondered why he wanted to help her so much and figured that it was just because he didn't have that many friends, with good reason, and somehow over the last few weeks this girl had found a way into his small circle of comrades.

At that moment, Karin turned toward him and smiled brilliantly, "So are we going to get started or what?"

* * *

"Why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut?" Karin wondered out loud running her hands down her face.

For the past three hours her and Kazune had been locked his room together just looking at her math homework. "It really isn't that hard Karin," Kazune said trying to explain the same problem for the third time in a different way so that she might grasp the concept.

"Let's just agree I'm a dunce and forget about all this," she said resting her head against the wood desk that she was sitting at.

"You're giving up too easily," Kazune said as he took the worksheet from where it was on top of the desk and looked at it carefully. "Look here, you had it. You just forgot to subtract the five from both sides," he said pointing out the simple mistake she had made. "So the answer you got is too large, go ahead and try it again."

Karin worked through the problem again, this time making sure to subtract in all the right places. Afterwards, she smiled to herself pleased with the work she had just accomplished sure that she had gotten the correct answer.

Kazune looked over it and smiled but shook his head. She groaned, already knowing that she had messed it up. "What did I do this time?"

"You actually didn't make any real mistakes. You just divided by eight instead of three. My guess is that you wrote down eight in the beginning instead of three, so this time your answer is too small." Kazune said smiling at her pleased that she had gotten it right and it had only been a stupid mistake this time.

Quickly, Karin reworked the problem and handed it back to Kazune for him to look over. She waited wide eyed staring at him as he checked over the entire thing all the while a grin growing on his face. He looked up and their eyes met and he nodded an affirmative.

Karin beamed and said slyly, "And this one's just right."

Kazune looked at her with a slightly perplexed expression on his face.

"Oh come on Kazune," Karin said in disbelief. He just continued to look at her puzzled about what she was talking about.

"First you said it was too large, and then it was too small, and then it was…" Karin tried to explain, but at seeing how he didn't seem to know what the heck she was talking about she just shook her head and said instead, "never mind."

"You're weird," Kazune said shaking his head at her.

"No, you just need to know your fairytales better," Karin said back smirking slightly.

He looked at her curiously before finally saying, "Okay let's do the next problem." Karin groaned in response.

Later when they had moved from Math, as she had a pretty good grasp on the homework, on to History, Kazune showed her what pages to read while he was trying to get some of his own homework done as well. They had moved downstairs, to be more comfortable, and now Karin found herself sitting on the couch with her textbook in her lap and repeatedly getting distracted by the large window that overlooked the Kujyou's backyard.

"Karin!" Kazune snapped effectively waking her from the trance-like state she had gone into unknowingly.

Karin's head instantly whipped up to attention as she said, "huh?"

"You were zoning out," Kazune said looking back down at his own homework and trying to finish a particularly challenging physics problem.

"Kazune-kun?" he heard her ask cautiously, and he looked up to find her staring intently at him.

"Yeah?" he questioned wondering what she was having problems with when she was just supposed to be reading. Then again it didn't look like she had turned a single page of her textbook.

"You beat up that guy who attacked me," she said still staring at him straight in the eyes.

"Yeah," he said curious where she was going with this.

"Could you teach me some self defense stuff too?" and with that Kazune froze in surprise.

He finally took his eyes completely from his homework and turned to face Karin and asked politely, "What did you just ask?"

Karin blushed slightly feeling like an idiot. "Never mind," she whispered looking back down at her book.

However, Kazune wasn't going to let the subject drop quite as fast. Her asking something like that… it didn't seem that typical of her. _Why on earth would Karin want to be able to fight?_ He was interested, and now that he was, he wanted some sort of answer. "Karin," she looked slowly from her book, apparently she already knew what he was going to ask and was probably dreading it. "Why would you want to learn to fight, and even if I said yes, wouldn't your parents disapprove?"

She scowled at his last comment, "My parents are idiots."

"Tell me something I don't know," Kazune said rolling his eyes. "Maybe for instance why that has to do with this, don't try and change the subject," he also added as a warning.

For a moment she stayed quiet unsure of exactly how to answer his question, when she felt him put a hand on her shoulder, she jumped a little and turned her head up at him. His bright blue eyes captured hers and she knew immediately that she could tell him anything, even if it was slightly embarrassing, something about Kazune she just felt like she could completely trust with anything. Not that she was going to tell him about how her parents had thought about having them get married; he didn't need to know about any of this marriage stuff that she had to go through.

She put her book aside on the floor and pulled her knees up to her chest so as to let Kazune take a seat on the couch while she talked. "I don't know where to begin," she admitted shamelessly as he plopped down beside her.

He leaned back and stared at the ceiling before prompting her with "Why don't you start at the beginning, why do you want to learn how to fight?"

Karin looked down sheepishly before answering quietly, "I'm tired of being the damsel in distress."

Kazune pulled his head back up at the same time that Karin lifted hers and for a moment their eyes met in complete silence. "Explain," he said, but she could tell it wasn't a demand, more of a request. She didn't have to ask to know that anytime she wanted to stop he would drop the subject completely.

Taking a deep breath she continued, "I just feel like I can't fend for myself. Not just last week when you saved me, thank you again by the way, but my parents are always so worried about me getting hurt that I never have gotten to stand on my own two feet."

He nodded his head in agreement and said, "Makes sense," beginning to understand why she would want to learn to fight.

Karin took this as a good sign and continued her little rant. "They just don't seem to see that one of these days I might not have anyone around to help me, and then what would I do?" she huffed annoyed by how her parents could possibly be so blind.

Kazune full heartedly agreed with her. As much as he wanted to say that someone, like himself, would always be there to protect her, it just wasn't the truth. You never knew what could happen.

"And that's why I need you to teach me some stuff about self defense; otherwise I'll just be the helpless girl who is in constant need of being saved." Karin finished looking up at him with pleading eyes.

Impassively, Kazune stared back at her thinking about his options in this situation. He honestly already knew that Karin was in need of learning some defense techniques, granted the girl had done pretty well in the situation last week even hurting the guy. But she just didn't think quickly enough in a fight to have done any real damage to him. She needed for someone to teach her useful skills as well as drill her at them so that it would be impulse for her to use them.

He had no doubt in his ability to teach her such things, there was just was a few problems with it. First off, her parents wouldn't want her to be learning how to fight, thus anything he taught her would have to be done so in secret, although since she already was going to be spending every afternoon at his house so that wouldn't be too hard to do.

Secondly, if he decided to help train her that would mean less time to work on her grades and that wasn't going to work out well.

And finally, even if they were to train at his house, Himeka and probably his Aunt and Uncle would notice and therefore it would be a lot easier for Karin's parents to find out about it. The less people that knew about it the better.

"Alright I'll do it but we are going to have to work some things out," Kazune finally said knowing that it would be worth it.

Suddenly, Kazune found Karin on top of him as she knocked him back in the biggest hug she could manage. "Thank you thank you thank you," she cheered just as she had done the other day. Kazune's cheeks began to heat up and he suddenly felt the urge to hug her back, though he had enough sense to not act on such instincts.

Karin bounded up from the couch smiling not noticing the slight pink on Kazune's cheeks. "When can we start?" she asked obviously hoping that they would begin lessons right then and there.

"Karin let's be sensible about this," Kazune said sighing slightly at her apparent impatience.

She frowned in response, something that with most girls, Kazune found unbearably annoying, but with Karin, he just wanted to laugh in response. Still, he had the sense not to let her know that and instead just continued with what he was saying.

"See, we can't do these lessons afterschool when I'm supposed to be tutoring you," he admitted hoping that she wouldn't get too riled up over it.

She just glared at him before crossing her arms and bitterly asking, "Why not?"

Never before had Kazune wanted to laugh so badly. Karin just wasn't intimidating especially whenever she was trying to be. He was disappointed that she hadn't figured out the answer for her question herself though. "Because I'll be tutoring you after school," he said pointing out the obvious.

"Oh," Karin said catching his drift as she looked down. "I wouldn't get enough studying done if we did it after school," she said bluntly causing Kazune to feel flustered and unsure of what to say next. After all, he couldn't really argue with it, but that didn't mean he didn't want to.

"So what do you suppose we do, should we just meet here longer after school," she asked suddenly looking back up and straight into his eyes.

It caught Kazune by surprise. She looked so determined… and yet there was a kindness and gentleness in her eyes that fit her so well. It was surprising; Kazune hadn't ever seen anything like it before.

Sure he knew the look of determination well, he had been told by Himeka that he often had it on his own face, which didn't surprise him in the least considering how hard he pushed himself in his studies… and for that matter everything else. But he also knew from his cousin and from personal experience that the look of determination also came with a hardened look that many interpreted as a little scary. It was no wonder that so many people thought he was some sort of jerky nerd. He didn't listen to them naturally, but that didn't mean that he didn't find it bothersome at times.

Jerking his thoughts back to the conversation at hand, Kazune answered Karin's question. "Really, training here would defeat the purposes of having me coach you, there are too many people here that might see and tell someone they shouldn't."

Nodding her head in agreement, Karin let Kazune continue. "I thought that maybe we could meet in the mornings before school in the gym, they have the proper equipment for this kind of thing, plus the chances of someone actually seeing us would be quite small."

Karin groaned in response. Getting up for school was hard enough as it was, and now getting up even earlier… it was going to be near impossible for her.

"What's wrong with it?" Kazune asked not understanding why Karin was groaning.

"I'm just not much of a morning person," she admitted sighing. "But it's okay, I'll be fine," she added quickly, knowing that this really was the best way for her to be taught by Kazune.

"Well now that's cleared up," Kazune said standing up, "Get back to work on that History reading, or else you'll never get done."

Once again, Karin reaction was a groan as she picked back up her text book. But she couldn't help but feel happy in that moment. Sure, studying was terrible, but at least she had someone there helping her through with it. And with Kazune now helping her before school as well, she felt very thankful, and wished that things could just stay the way they were.

* * *

Yeah, it's a bit of a stretch for Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but I still had a lot of fun with it. If you didn't get how the fairy tale pertained to the chapter, all I did was pretty much quote it. Not my favorite connection, but still a connection all the same.

I had a lot of fun with this chapter. It was fun doing all the development between Karin and Kazune. Up to this point it has just been their friendship developing, but obviously Kazune's feelings for Karin are starting to show up even if he doesn't recognize them… yet.

Just by the way, I'm a total nerd, so really I didn't mean any offense to anyone in this chapter when I had Karin not want to be a nerd. You know. Hope you all enjoyed. Keep writing!

FFG- Jo


	8. Chapter 7 Robin Hood

Disclaimer: I don't own Kamichama Karin.

Warning: May be slightly OOC and is definitely AU. It's another really long chapter, my longest yet actually. Hope you guys don't mind too much.

Note: You might not consider Robin Hood a fairytale, (I don't even know if I really do) but it worked well for the story so it I figured you guys wouldn't mind too much. Sorry if it bothers you. I just couldn't help but doing this after I remembered that Kazune used a bow and arrow in the anime.

**Chapter 7: Robin Hood**

"Kazune-kun," Karin wined annoyingly. "Why do I have to do these," she asked wanting to throw the seemingly endless pile of College applications up in the air. Yet, knowing that Kazune would just make her pick them up and do them anyway, she resisted the temptation.

"What do you mean 'why do I have to do these?'" Kazune said complete unfazed by her wining as he concentrated on his own homework.

Karin crossed her arms in annoyance at having already explained her reasoning to Kazune once.

Hearing silence, Kazune knew that Karin was obviously moping and not doing any work, so he put down his pencil and walked over to her desk.

After realizing that both of them couldn't work very effectively at the one desk in his room or without distraction downstairs, he had convinced his uncle and aunt to buy another desk for the room specifically for Karin's use. He had even promised to pay them back for it later, even though they insisted on paying for it themselves.

Of course, Karin had cleared up the whole issue on who was to pay by simply getting her Dad to pay, and he did without question saying that he was happy to help his daughter improve her grades by any means possible. Which Karin translated to 'any means possible having to do with money.'

"Look," Kazune tried to explain to her. "Your Dad was very adamant that you get into college and get an education beyond High school."

Over the month Kazune had continued to tutor Karin and even her Mom had to admit that with his help Karin's grades were already on the rise. Seeing so much improvement in such a short span of time, Karin's father had arranged another extremely awkward meeting with Kazune and had pretty much demanded him to get Karin to start applying to colleges.

"I don't think that's a very good reason to do them," Karin huffed in annoyance. "I'm just so tired of him…" she trailed off after realizing that she was about to complain to Kazune and not wanting him to worry about it. She looked away from him and said, "Never mind."

"What?" Kazune asked leaning on the desk, so that he could look straight into Karin's emerald eyes and get her to tell him everything.

Unfortunately, she refused to look up at him as she answered, "Nothing, don't worry about it."

As much as Kazune hated to admit it, he was worried about Karin. Over the past month, they had gotten a lot closer. It was expected that they would, after all he would see her for hours every day as he tried to improve her grades. Kazune had noticed more than anything else though was how most of her stubbornness tended to stem from things her parents wanted for her to do.

He had heard that girls at some point or another went through a rebellious streak and wanted to pretty much do the opposite of what their parents, but Karin was a Senior in High school. Shouldn't she be done with this stage by now?

"Karin, how am I supposed to understand the problem if you won't tell me?" he asked trying to be patient.

Karin looked up and found Kazune looking at her very concerned. She had a hard time looking in those bright blue eyes of his and lying. Somehow, she had managed to keep from him that her parents were already trying to find her a husband and that most likely at the end of the school year she was going to get married, and that's the way she wanted to keep it.

Sooner or later though, she knew he was going to find out, it was only a matter of time. Really, she wanted to be the one to tell him, but knowing how awkward it would be… she couldn't help but stall.

But maybe she could tell him part of the problem for now. "I'm just so tired of him," Karin admitted burying her face in her hands.

"Your Dad?" he asked already knowing what she would say.

"Both of them," Karin exclaimed running her hands down face. "I'm so sick of them telling me what to do… and then me doing it."

"Then do something for yourself for once," he said simply.

Karin looked at him confused.

He should have expected that he would need to explain more if he wanted her to understand, the girl could be kind of dense. "Don't fill out the applications because **your Dad** wants you to. Do it because **you** want to go to college…" he paused realizing there might be a problem with what he just said. "You do want to go to college right?"

"Of course I do!" Karin immediately exclaimed without having to think about it. "I'm just not that sure that I can even get into college, you've seen my grades, although I'll still try my hardest," she suddenly declared obviously not going to let herself get down.

Kazune was torn on whether to laugh or to comfort the girl. He could tell when she was upset, but as she was one to hide it from most, he didn't really know if he should ever bring it up.

It was a double bladed sword. On one hand he could stay quiet and continue to let Karin suffer in silence, but on the other hand if he brought it up there was a chance that he would just cause her more pain by trying to make her talk about it. He decided to take the route in between.

"Well, I think you can get into college so you shouldn't worry so much about it," he said purposely diverting his eyes away from her slightly embarrassed. Now she could talk about it if she wanted, after all, he had given her an opening.

"You really think so?" she asked hesitantly.

He whipped his head back around hearing the disbelief in her tone. Their eyes caught and determined to make her understand that he believed in her, Kazune said fiercely, "Of course."

Next thing he knew, her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck and she crashed into him hugging him as tightly as she could. This was the second time that this girl was hugging him, but this time…it was different.

While last time she had been excited and jumping up and down while hugging him, now she was just holding on to him and it seemed a lot more personal. Thus, he wasn't quite sure what to do and especially where to put his arms.

"Thank you," he suddenly heard her whisper as she pulled him even tighter. With that, he finally placed his hands on her back and hugged her back.

"Anytime," he whispered knowing it was the truth and he was already willing to cheer her up just to see her smile.

For a moment, they didn't move and just held on to one another enjoying the feeling. That is until the doorbell rang and both suddenly realized just how long they had been holding on to one another.

In an instant, both had let go and backed up a couple steps, or in Karin's case, had sat back down in her chair. Both stared in embarrassment at the other. Kazune could see that Karin's face was beet red and was sure that his was as well.

"S- sorry" she stuttered out unable to look away from her even though there was nothing she would have rather done.

He seemed to be speechless though and opened his mouth to say something only to close it again scrunching his eyebrows in confusion at her. Awkward silence filled the room and Karin longed to say something or even just stop staring at Kazune, but found that she couldn't do either. Thankfully, two soft knocks on the door saved both of them from the unease of the room.

"Kazune-chan? Karin-chan?" Himeka asked as she opened the door. Karin awkwardly started scrambling with her papers trying to hide her blush, while Kazune just turned his head casually towards Himeka. "Karin's ride is here so she has to go."

"Okay, she'll be down in a second," Kazune said nodding to his cousin.

Noticing how flustered both of them looked, she started to ask what was wrong as Kazune walked over to Karin and started pointing out what problems Karin needed to work on before tomorrow. However, the way that Kazune kept looking at her best friend made her change her mind. She got the feeling that something was happening between these two. She could only hope it worked out okay since she knew Karin's home life situation.

Closing the door with a sad smile on her face she whispered not sure who she was actually talking to, "Please let everything work out." And with that she headed downstairs to tell Karin's ride knew she was on her way.

Meanwhile, back in Kazune's room, Karin was having a hard time getting all of her supplies together. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but for some reason every time Kazune tried to help her, she only managed to knock over more of her stuff. "Geez girls are so clumsy," Kazune remarked picking up a set of colored pencils she had just dumped to the floor.

"What?!" Karin exclaimed before swinging her fist at Kazune, only to have him dodge it by leaning to the left without even having to look up at her. He then grabbed her wrist and pulled down making the girl loose her balance and fall to the floor with a small squeak.

She sat up, ready to attack him again for making her fall down, only to see him smirking at her. "First lesson of self defense, don't do the expected."

Karin's jaw dropped in amazement, so he really was going to teach her self defense. Sure he had said he would, but so far they hadn't done anything yet. Kazune stood up only to lend the speechless girl a hand and help her to her feet as well. "Here," he said handing over the full package of colored pencils. "I expect you at the school gym an hour before school starts tomorrow."

"Thank you Kazune-kun!" Karin said excitedly while giving a small bow to the boy and then taking her package of pencils from him and slipping them into her book bag. She ran to the door of the room only stop there and turn around once more smiling brightly as she said one last thing. "You won't regret this!"

Kazune smiled to himself slightly as he turned back to Karin's desk that had pencils scattered about and eraser shavings all over it. Geez, at times that girl could be such a slob. He started dusting off the desk and organizing it when he heard someone knock lightly on his door. "Come in," he called out as he turned around to see who it was.

"Kazune, may I have back those books you took from my study?" a very tall dark haired man asked politely.

Kazune nodded as he headed walked over to his bookshelf and began skimming the titles looking for the couple of books he had borrowed from his uncle just a few weeks ago. Since Kazuto was a forensic scientist, he had a lot of books that were medically related and therefore, a lot of books that Kazune was interested in reading in his spare time.

"So you still want to be a Doctor right?" Kazuto asked walking into the room and sitting on the edge of Kazune's bed.

Kazune didn't say a word and just nodded as he pulled a thick book off the shelf. Kazuto sighed in disappointment. "Hey," he said standing up and heading over to the boy.

"Yes Uncle Kazuto?" Kazune asked still searching the bookcase for the other book he had borrowed.

The tall man clamped his hands down on Kazune's shoulders and turned his nephew to face him so that they could talk without any distractions. "You know you don't have to be so…" he flailed about his arms trying to come up with the right word, "serious… all the time right?" he asked for once being the solemn one.

"I'm just studying a lot," Kazune said making sure to look his uncle straight in the eyes hinting to his uncle to drop the subject.

However, Kazuto seemed to be impervious to Kazune's heavy gaze as stared back with just as much intensity.

Idly Kazune wondered if he was losing his touch. Sure, Kazuto always had seemed to read him well, but he had always respected when Kazune wanted to drop something, and yet now the guy was still pressing him for more. Plus, he was starting to feel bad whenever he looked so sharply at Karin. Perhaps, that was why he didn't do that anymore.

"Kazune, you need to learn to lighten up a little," Kazuto said patting him on the shoulders before quickly plucking one of the books off Kazune's shelf and flicking it to show the boy that it was one of the two books Kazune had borrowed from him. Still, when he got to the doorway he couldn't help but turn around to get one more word in.

"I like that Karin girl though," he said leaving before Kazune could get a single word in.

Therefore, he didn't hear Kazune when he whispered under his breath, "Me too."

Kazuto headed downstairs knowing that his nephew would not come after him. No, if Kazune was annoyed with what he had said to him, then he was just going to have to deal with a couple extra glares over the next few days. Nothing he couldn't handle.

"Kazuto," his wife called to him from the kitchen. He popped his head in the door thinking that it might be quick and he could put up his books back in his study before dinner.

However, the moment his head entered the room he knew that he wasn't going to be able to leave as he smelled something so heavenly that words could not describe it. Obviously, Suzuka was making something really good for dinner tonight.

"What on earth is that delicious scent?" he inquired as he walked up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her middle giving her a small peck on the cheek.

"I'm making chocolate chip cookies for desert after dinner tonight," she said as she continued to roll the cookie dough into balls.

"Wow, what have I done to deserve such a wonderful woman making me cookies?" Kazuto said resting his chin on his wife's shoulder.

"Hey hey," she said grinning, "I want some of these too."

Sneakily, Kazuto reached out one of his hands to grab some cookie dough for himself only to have Suzuka bat his hand away. "Not until after dinner," she reprimanded him lightly. Kazuto frowned in response. "Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh really," her husband said suggestively raising his eyebrows at her.

She rolled her eyes amused but refusing to let him know that. "Not that either Kazuto."

"You're no fun," he complained reaching out again for some cookie dough only to have his wife smack his hand away again.

"What I wanted to talk about was Kazune."

Kazuto immediately got serious. "What about him, he isn't in trouble or anything right?" he asked slightly alarmed.

"Oh no," Suzuka said giggling slightly, despite her age she could act a little childish, but then again so could her husband. "It's actually the opposite."

Curious, Kazuto let go of his wife and backed up to the island countertop in the center of the kitchen and jumped up on it to listen to her as she turned around and faced him leaning back against the counter.

"Have you noticed how a lot more lately, he almost seems **happy**? I mean, he isn't really mad all the time or anything, but normally he is just so serious." she said holding out her hands awkwardly trying not to get any dough on anything in the kitchen.

Kazuto nodded, "Yeah, I've noticed and have a theory on it."

"Really?" she asked with childlike curiosity as she leaned forward slightly.

"I just know it has something to do with that Karin girl," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe he even has a crush on her," he then added getting excited.

Suzuka smiled at her husband knowing that he was probably getting ahead of himself but at the same time hoping he was correct. "Well, I like the girl so I wouldn't mind too much," she said remembering that every time she came to their house she was just so sweet and polite. "What's her last name again?" she asked mentally kicking herself for not remembering.

"Hanazono," Kazuto said smiling back at his wife daydreaming a bit. Suzuka really was amazing. It was times like this that he couldn't help but be thankful for having met her and now being married to her.

"Hanazono!" Suzuka said immediately alarmed.

"What!" Kazuto exclaimed jumping off the counter in surprise of her outburst. He looked around as his imagination went wild with what could be wrong.

"You're sure that her last name is Hanazono?" his wife asked wide eyed.

"Yeah," he said giving a small nod, "Why? Is that bad?"

"There is no way that girl is the daughter of… that woman," she said shaking her head no and closing her eyes in disbelief.

"What woman?" he asked confused. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"I know Karin's Mom," she said in slight disbelief.

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's on the PTA with me," there was no way that Karin was the daughter of that woman.

"So what's she like?" Kazuto asked smiling brightly at the prospects of getting to know Karin's parents a bit better.

"Annoying," slipped out of Suzuka's mouth before she could think.

"Suzuka!" he said in mild surprise, in general his wife wasn't one to get annoyed that easily so for her to be calling someone something like that just wasn't like her. She was too gentle hearted.

"I'm sorry but she is," she protested almost feeling guilty for saying so. "The woman irks me more than anything else." Kazuto only had to nod for her to continue. "See, the Hanazonos are the richest family at the school and they certainly act like it. She acts like she is the best thing in the world always bragging and sticking her nose up in the air."

Kazuto laughed, "She doesn't really stick her nose in the air right?"

"You'd be surprised," Suzuka answered dryly. "And you know what's even worse, I'm not sure if it's good for Kazune to be falling for Karin."

"Why?" Kazuto asked sensing the serious turn in the conversation.

"Kazuto," she said sadly. He was immediately right in front of her with his hand gently placed on her cheek. She sighed trying to calm herself down before she continued. He knew of all people, Suzuka's fatal flaw was that at times she cared almost too much about people and could get overemotional with certain situations, especially when it was people that she knew well.

"She's always talking about how she is looking for someone for Karin to be with, and on several occasions she's said marry."

"So she is just looking out for her child?" Kazuto asked trying to figure out what his wife was getting so upset by.

"No," Suzuka said understanding that her husband was just confused and therefore she refrained from getting mad with him. "She keeps saying that her daughter will be married by the end of the year and only the best man will do for her."

"Forced marriage, not common much anymore but it still happens sometimes," he admitted sorrowfully.

"It's so wrong," Suzuka protested, "I can't imagine what Karin has to go through." She nuzzled her cheek into her husband's hand wanting to hug him and only hanging back so that she couldn't get his shirt messy with the dough still on her hands.

However, Kazuto knew her well enough that he knew what she needed and just wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry about my clothes," he whispered in her ear making her immediately wrap her arms around him as well.

She squeezed him as tightly as she could as she spoke again, "I just am worried about Karin, and then about Kazune getting his heart broken if he is indeed falling for the girl."

Kazuto pulled back just enough to kiss his wife's forehead once before saying gently, "Don't worry, everything will work out."

"But how do you kno-"

He silenced her with one finger to her mouth, "It will be okay, I promise," he said smiling.

Smiling she rested her head on his shoulder enjoying the moment. "Kazuto."

"Hmm?"

"Get your hand out of the cookie dough this instant," she said calmly as she lifted her head and started to grab for his arm to catch him in the act.

"I think I'll go change my shirt," he said trying to play it cool as he quickly retreated before she could stop him, and with a bit of dough in his hand.

"No cookies for you after dinner," she yelled at his retreating form, but both of them knew she didn't mean it.

* * *

The next morning Karin sleepily headed for the gym. She could already tell she was going to dread these early morning practices. Then again, the good news was that getting up and leaving so early meant she wouldn't have to deal with her parents much in the mornings. Thankfully, they had both taken the excuse of that she was working with Kazune in the mornings too as a good enough justification for her leaving so early.

She hadn't lied to them… she just hadn't told them the whole truth. They didn't need to know what she was working on in the mornings.

Walking in the gym she was surprised to see Kazune already there and with a bow, arrows in a quiver, and special gloves on his hands. Apparently, he was good at the sport because next thing she knew he had let the arrow fly and it had hit the dead center of the target that he had been aiming for.

Karin just stood there in disbelief as the heavy gym door slammed shut alerting Kazune that someone had come in. He whipped around slightly startled, "You're early."

She started walking forward smiling at him shyly. His appearance startled her, she had thought that maybe he would be disheveled at least from working out already, but he was still so put together and well… perfect. That seemed like the wrong word to Karin, but she couldn't come up with another one as she headed over to where he was standing. "Is it okay that I'm early?"

Truth be told, she was nervous about what he was going to answer her. Yes, most of the time Kazune was pretty nice to her, after all, he was a gentleman. But she had heard stories from the girls about how he sometimes snapped at them and from personal experience she could relate. After all, she still remembered how mad he had gotten at him for stealing his boxers.

However, overall he never seemed to be that mad with her. If anything, he just worried about her, or at least she thought he did.

"Yeah, I just didn't get to finish all my exercises yet," Kazune admitted. "But I'll just finish early today."

He turned to go put up his bow and arrows as he slipped off his gloves. "No!" she immediately protested. However after that she found herself unable to speak. He turned toward her expectantly only to find her looking embarrassed and silent.

"Karin?" he asked carefully slightly worried. She was being quiet, that wasn't normal.

"I want to watch you practice!" she shouted much louder than originally intended.

Her voice echoed throughout the gym as a silence fell between the two of them. Karin knew she had just acted like an idiot for yelling like that when the two of them were hardly three feet away from each other.

On the other hand, Kazune was just startled. She wanted to watch him. "Why?" he couldn't help but ask.

Looking up sheepishly, she bashfully said, "Well, I didn't know that you did any sports. I just was curious."

It didn't make sense to him. She just wanted to see… that's why? "It's what friends do, they support each other," she added causing him to jump since she had gotten next to him while he had been thinking.

"Whatever," he responded coldly, although her smile didn't falter as she took a few steps back and sat down on the ground to watch.

He concentrated as he pulled out another arrow from his quiver that he had placed off to the side. The arrow's point was dulled so that it wasn't as dangerous when he was shooting. Still, he knew that if someone stepped between him and his target and he managed to hit them, they wouldn't just have a bruise.

Quickly attaching the nock of the arrow to the string, he made sure that his grip on it and the string was firm but light enough that he could release it easily. It was the hardest part of archery, getting the right balance with the grip on the string and arrow. While most focused on where they were aiming, Kazune knew better. Of course his aim would be important, but how you held the bow and arrow directly affected your aim, so how precise he was came second after his hold on his tool.

Pulling his bow and arrow up, he steadily pulled back the string as he aimed for the center of the target that he had set up much earlier. For some reason or another, he suddenly felt nervous. Perhaps it was the way Karin was staring at him, as if she was trying to memorize his every move. Or perhaps, it was just Karin.

Slowly, he released and let his arrow fly with a small twang from the string. A thunk sounded in the distance at the target. He could already tell though that it was no good.

Walking up to the target he saw that his arrow actually rested just outside the center ring. "Aww that one wasn't as good as the first," Karin said right next to him making him jump.

Geez, if she kept doing that, she was going to be the death of him someday. "Why don't you try again," she asked smiling sweetly.

Unable to refuse and wanting to prove to himself as well that he was better than that, Kazune returned to where he had shot from and pulled out another arrow. This time as he repeated the same steps he knew oh too well, he made himself mentally calm down as well.

Now when he released, he could already tell that it was going to be a good shot. Karin ran over to the target the moment she heard it hit. With her squeal, he was sure that he had got a near perfect shot like before.

"It's nestled right up next to the first arrow," Karin yelled running back over in delight as she referred to the arrow he had shot when she had come in through the door.

Both hear clapping right before the heavy gym door slammed shut once again. "Bravo Kazune-kun!" Micchi cheered walking in the gym.

"Micchi!" Karin squealed at the same time as Kazune said, "Nishikiori."

"Karin-chan, Kazune-kun!" he yelled as he pulled them both into a group hug squeezing they hard enough that Karin bet she got a bruise. "Excellent shot Kazune-kun!" he said as enthusiastic as always as he finally released them.

"Thanks," Kazune said simply, reverting back to his serious self.

"Of course you are probably practicing for the archery competition this weekend," Micchi assumed walking over to the target to get a closer look at Kazune's shots.

Karin was surprised by the information, "Wait, you are competing this weekend, why didn't you tell me!" she demanded sticking her face right into Kazune's.

Surprised would be an understatement for how Kazune felt at that exact moment. People didn't intrude on his personal space. Well, Nishikiori did but he intruded on everyone's personal space. But now, Karin was starting to intrude just as much as Nishikiori, if not more so. Already she had managed to give him two hugs without a word of protest from him.

And the weird thing was… he didn't mind. Sure, like right now it was a bit uncomfortable, but that was more so just because Nishikiori was there and watching their every move.

Still, he needed to set the record straight. "I don't compete with archery," he said in a tone that clearly said drop it.

Karin got the ever so obvious hint. So did Micchi, he just chose to ignore it. "Why not Kazune-kun, you have got to be the best archer in the school. You would do marvelous at the competition."

"Look, I just don't compete," Kazune snapped at his friend. "Come on Karin, we need to get started," he added turning away from the two of them and picking up his quiver and then heading over to the target to pull out his arrows.

Micchi was unaffected by his words and about to press him some more when he saw Karin and thought better than to do so. She was staring at Kazune as he ripped each of his arrows from the target and placed them back into his quiver. Any idiot could see that he was annoyed.

Maybe, it would be best to leave him be a while, Micchi decided already turning on his heel and heading back out of the gym. "See you guys later then," he said waving one hand.

"Nishikiori," Kazune said turning around and practically glaring at the guy. "I don't know what business you had here this morning but you won't tell anyone about Karin and I being here right?"

Even if Kazune had phrased it as a question, Micchi knew better than to take it as one. He knew it was a request, even if it had been unnecessary. He looked back over his shoulder at the two of them. "I just came to school for some extra studying, and don't worry, I know how to keep a secret." The last part he looked at Karin, "Well, not unless it needs to be told anyway." And with that he walked out calmly.

Karin stared after him, what exactly did he mean by that? Not unless it needs to be told, was he referring to her secret? Was he going to tell Kazune what exactly her parents had wanted from him originally? Karin's stomach began to hurt in anticipation.

"Come on Karin, let's get to work," Kazune said waking her from her thoughts. Her questions were just going to have to wait until later.

* * *

Karin couldn't remember a time in her life that she had ever felt so incredibly sore. Kazune had been ruthless that morning. Exercise after exercise, she didn't think she was going to be able to move for a week, much less do all the exercises tomorrow morning as well. She groaned just thinking about it.

"Are you alright Karin-chan?" Himeka asked her quietly. It was lunch time and the group of friends all sat together at one of the cafeteria tables.

"I'm fine!" Karin tried to reassure her friends as she tried to stretch out her arms as inconspicuous as possible. "I'm just a little sore."

She immediately realized her mistake.

"Why?" Miyon asked curiously.

Karin stumbled over her words trying to come up with some kind of excuse. "Oh she was just doing something with Kazune," Micchi remarked suggestively.

"What?! That's a lie!" Karin reacted standing up in horror and embarrassment.

The group laughed and hesitantly Karin joined in. "Where is Kazune anyway," she asked for the first time noticing that he was the only one not there.

"He's probably running away from his fan club," Yuuki said thoughtfully. "They always steal him away from us at least once a week."

Karin knew that he was probably right. "Well, I'm going to go try and find him, I need to talk to him. Later!" and before anyone could get a word in she was gone.

"Wonder why Karin-chan wanted to go find Kazune-kun so bad," Ami said between bites of her lunch.

"Probably about the archery competition this weekend," Micchi said still smiling knowingly. When the whole table looked at him expectantly to go on, he sighed and did so. "I think Karin-chan wants him to compete in it."

"But Kazune never competes in those things," Yuuki said.

"Wait, Kazune-kun can shoot a bow and arrow?" Ami said confused. After all, she hadn't been at their school that long.

"Yeah, Kazune-chan is really good, but he never competes," Himeka said brightly.

"Why not?" Ami asked.

Silence filled the table before Micchi finally answered, "No one knows."

* * *

Meanwhile, Karin was busy running around the entire school trying to find Kazune. She just knew that she could talk him into competing. She had checked and he didn't have to be on any sort of team, he just had to sign up on a list in the gym. Now she just had to convince him.

Only problem was he was nowhere to be found. She knew that the longer she waited, the harder it was going to be to convince him to enter the competition. Stamping her foot in frustration she clenched her fists. Why did it always have to be so hard when it came to Kazune-kun?

Thankfully, just at that moment, someone came barreling around the corner running smack dab into Karin.

For the second time that year, Karin found Kazune on top of her. Normally, she might have laughed at the irony of the situation, but something was different about it this time. While last time he hadn't known her and had been more concerned with his fan club than with her well being, this time… she didn't know how to explain it.

They both were frozen looking at each other unable to say anything. Karin was sure that she was blushing and looking up at Kazune she could see a bit of pink on his cheeks. Was he really blushing… at her?

Caught up in the moment, Karin cautiously reached up one of her hands and was about to cup his cheek. She didn't think about what she was doing, she just moved.

"KAZUNE-KUN!" a sharp high pitched yell came from just a little bit away.

It effectively woke them both up from their trance. Without a word, Kazune jumped to his feet and pulled Karin up and into a nearby empty classroom. Both immediately put an ear to the door trying to listen for the screaming bunch of girls.

It wasn't too long before they heard the shrieks begin to fade. Kazune smiled over at Karin, "Little bit of déjà vu right?

She giggled quietly, as he walked over to one of the school desks of the room they were in and pulled himself up. "Why didn't you just duck into a classroom sooner?" she asked as she situated herself on the desk next to the one he was on.

Kazune looked up idly as he answered, "I have to get far enough ahead of them before ducking into a classroom or closet, or else they see me and effectively trap me, so to speak."

Karin nodded understanding. "I was going to actually duck into a classroom pretty soon when I ran into you. You just made me finally make up my mind to do it," he admitted still staring at the ceiling.

She looked up as well, trying to figure out what exactly he was looking at. "So what's up?" he asked making her look over at him once again and he stared back at her seemingly unemotional, but she could see though that. He was relaxed, she could tell by the way he tilted his head a little to the side. She hated to bring up something that they were just going to argue about.

"Kazune-kun? Why won't you enter the competition this weekend, I'm sure you would do fine."

He obviously wasn't relaxed anymore. "I'm not going to talk about this," he said hopping down from the desk, walking over to the door, opening it and walking out. He didn't even bother holding it open for Karin as she ran after him.

"Why not?" she demanded as he jammed his fists into his pockets in annoyance.

"Just drop it Karin, I'm not going to talk about this."

"Well I am," she said jumping in front of him and putting her hands on her hips.

He just glared at her. She glared right back. "Why won't you compete? You're good."

"It's not about being good or bad," he said stepping to the side trying to go around her.

Too bad for him, she stepped with him, "What is it about then," she asked trying to understand.

"It's none of your business," he practically growled at her.

"Yes it is!" she yelled back. He rolled his eyes at her, which sadly for him, she saw. Calming down, she continued, "I'm your friend and I want to understand why you won't compete. It just makes no sense to me why you wouldn't."

"Because there is no point!" he yelled at her getting madder by the second. Once again he took a step to the other side trying to get around her, but just like before Karin stepped over as well. "Just let me by!" he shouted at her.

"NO!" she screamed back in his face. "Not until you tell me why there is no point," she said not quite as loud but just as fierce. She then crossed her arms in defiance.

He knew there was no way to get out of this one. Sure he might yell at her some more but that would probably just get her more riled up with him, or even worse, he might make her cry. He had yet to see her cry, but he also knew that there was only so much he could do before she would break down. She was a girl after all.

Trying to compose himself, he took two deep breaths before jumping in. "What's the point of competitions?" he asked trying to sound like he wasn't still mad.

Karin could hear the anger in the edge of his voice but knew he was trying so she decided to play along. "To test yourself?" she guessed.

"Well, yes," he admitted, "Actually I guess there are a few reasons people compete. Some do it to test themselves and see how much they have improved, others do it to show the opposing party that they are better than them, but most of the time…" He trailed off feeling uncomfortable.

"What?" she prompted taking a step forward closer.

"Often competing has to do with showing the people you know how much you have improved."

"So…" she asked confused.

"Damn it Karin, if I competed this Saturday no one would come see me so what's the point," he yelled once again getting all riled up.

"But… but… what about…" she couldn't think of anyone, gosh she knew everyone that Kazune knew so this shouldn't be that hard. "What about your fan club?" she asked blurting out the first thing she could and feeling like an idiot the moment after.

Still, Kazune answered her question with a small glare. "They care about me getting rich and since archery has nothing to do with that so-"

"They wouldn't come," Karin finished. "But what about your family," asking the correct question this time.

"My uncle and aunt are always busy on the weekends, they won't be able to come I'm sure, and Himeka is going to Miyon's house on Saturday so she can't come either." He answered trying not to sound too bothered about it.

"What about all your friends?" Karin asked now feeling as if she had to prove him wrong.

"Sakurai has a piano recital this weekend. Nishikiori is always hanging out with that Ami girl and visa versa, so I'm sure they have plans. And then Himeka will be with Miyon so they probably already have planned to go out and do something together, probably going to Sakurai's concert."

Kazune wasn't mad at his friends, more just disappointed. They all had lives; he shouldn't expect them to come watch him compete. But without them there, there was no reason for him to compete. "It doesn't really matter Karin, let's just go back and eat lunch."

This time when Kazune stepped to the side, she didn't get in his way. She stood completely still looking down at the ground. "No," she whispered clenching both her eyes and fists closed.

"Huh?"

"No," she said stronger turning around and grabbing his face and making him look her straight in the eyes. "No, it does matter, what about me!"

He couldn't bring himself to speak, unsure of what to say. "This morning I loved watching you, you looked so happy and relaxed." He could feel his cheeks starting to heat up as she just kept going. "I would go watch you."

Silence.

Finally noticing the position she had the guy in, Karin let go and whipped around immensely embarrassed by what she had just been doing.

"Okay."

Karin couldn't believe her ears. "What?"

"I'll be in the competition," she turned around. Was he squirming? "But only if you come watch me," he insisted.

He shouldn't have been surprised when she flung herself into his arms once again hugging him, but he was getting better. This time he knew what to do and hugged her back.

"I promise I'll be there," she whispered before jumping back in enthusiasm. "Okay then, let's go get you signed up," and with that she began dragging him towards the gym. But oddly, Kazune found that he didn't mind too much.

* * *

That day after school, they were walking out together to meet Himeka and walk home, when surprisingly, Kazune started heading in the wrong direction.

"Kazune-kun?" she said not knowing whether to follow the boy or head to the school gate like they normally did.

"Are you coming?" he asked not even looking back at her as he continued to walk in the wrong direction.

Figuring that Himeka would wait on them, she jogged to catch up to Kazune. He didn't even give her time to ask before answering. "With the competition this Saturday, I need to practice a bit more before we go back to my house. I hope you don't mind studying in the gym for a while. Oh, and Himeka already got a ride home with Miyon if you were wondering."

Beaming at him, Karin could only nod.

Upon entering the gym, the first thing worth noticing was the sheer amount of people there, all with bows in their possession. Thump after thump could be heard as arrows hit their targets. "Hey I'm going to go change and get my bow and stuff," Kazune said checking it out with her and making sure she would be okay in a roundabout way.

"Okay," she said nodding once as she went back to watching everyone aim and shoot practicing for the upcoming competition.

Everyone in the gym seemed so serious and yet Karin could sense the adrenalin rush from all the participants. She wondered if they were all competing this Saturday against Kazune. Now she just had to take advantage of the situation inspecting each of the people with a bow. From what she could see, none of them seemed to be as good as Kazune, but since she knew so little on the subject of archery she really couldn't judge something like this.

"So what's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" a small group of boys asked coming right up to her. She recognized their faces as from her grade but couldn't come up with their names as they continued to leer at her making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"I'm waiting on someone," she admitted trying not to be shy although she was sure she sounded like it.

"Oh really?" they asked grinning. "Might we inquire as to whom you are waiting on." She had the inkling feeling that they were trying to make fun of her or something.

"Kazune-kun," she said feeling extremely uncomfortable. She didn't like the way they were looking at her, not that she was going to let them know that.

Their faces contorted in mock disgust, "Why would you hang out with that nerd Kujyou when you could hang out with us."

Karin had never been one to take people making fun of her friends very well. Everyone in the school knew it ever since she had punched a boy in ninth grade for laughing at Miyon after the girl had fallen down in gym class. Obviously, these boys hadn't heard of her or they hadn't put a name with a face.

Next thing they knew though, she had punched the one that she figured looked the most like the leader.

More in surprise than because of the actual force of the punch, he fell to his butt. "Don't ever insult my friends!" she declared glaring at the boy.

"Why you little bitch!" he yelled gaining a lot of attention from many of the people in the gym. Many stopped to watch the little scene play out before them.

Before when that guy had caught her outside, she had been fearful to the point that she couldn't even move. But now, she was just angry. These weren't strangers, they were boys her own age, and even if they were almost twice as tall as her and much stronger, she oddly didn't fear them.

The boy leapt up to his feet just as his three other friends closed in around her slightly. For the first time she realized just how outnumbered she really was, but she wasn't about to back down from them.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" the one who she had punched spitted out. Apparently, she had been correct in her assumptions that he was the leader because the other three weren't saying much of anything, instead just opting to nod along.

"I'm Karin Hanazono," she said trying her best to look bored with them which only mad them become more annoyed with her.

However, at least one of them realized who she was. "Wait, aren't you like the richest girl in the school?" one of the followers asked.

Karin hated that was the first thing associated with her name. Why did everyone just seem to care about how rich she was? It was really beginning to get on her nerves. She frowned, "So what if I am?"

The leader of the little group smirked, "This is just perfect."

Now she really didn't like the look he was giving her. She had the sudden urge to cover up her chest as his eyes roamed from her face and obviously down her body. Was he checking her out? "How about we go somewhere alone," he said putting an arm around her shoulders.

Was this guy mental or something? First she punches him and he gets mad and then he suddenly has a complete change of attitude and is flirting with her? What the hell could make him possibly think that she would be into him?

"Umm, no thank you," she said disgusted as she ducked under his arm and backed away from the group. Sadly, only a few steps and she was against a wall.

The leader grabbed her wrist tightly and sneered at her saying, "Come on, let's go have some fun."

Karin truly had no idea of what to do to get out of this situation. The boy was simply not taking any hints. Thankfully, Kazune came to her rescue for the second time that year.

"Excuse me, but she's with me," he said easily stepping into the small group of teens. He held his hand out to her and she gingerly took it as she yanked her other arm away from other boy. Either they were all too stunned to do anything about Karin and Kazune walking away, or they decided to give up, at least for the time being.

Still, walking away, Karin couldn't help but look back over her shoulder once at the group of boys. She felt her heart sink at seeing them all still grinning at her. Something told her that they were going to be back.

"You okay," Kazune asked letting go of her hand as they came up to the target he was going to be shooting at.

She hadn't even realized they had been holding hands as he took her away from those boys. But now that he no longer was touching her, she felt like she had lost something.

Knowing that sounded ridiculous, Karin shook it off figuring she had just ate something weird at lunch. Then again, she hadn't really eaten lunch because she had been looking for Kazune and by the time he was signed up for the archery competition, it had been time to go back to class. Still, she was sure it was nothing.

"I'm fine. Those guys were just being annoying."

Kazune sighed in relief. "Well, just be careful. You shouldn't pick fights, especially with people bigger than you."

"Well, they started it," Karin retaliated pouting at Kazune.

"That might be true," Kazune admitted motioning for Karin to sit on the floor as he nocked the first arrow. She sat down getting out her history book, already knowing that's what he would want her to start with. "But, I don't think punching someone is going to get them to leave you alone when you are smaller than them," he said pulling the string back.

Knowing better than to interrupt his concentration, Karin stayed silent until Kazune had released the first arrow. "They were making fun of a friend," she wined trying to justify her actions.

"Karin, just because someone makes fun of me doesn't mean you can hit them," he said preparing his next shot.

"How did you know it was you?" she asked as he aimed.

He didn't even bother answering her question giving her a look saying 'did you really just ask me that?' after he shot his second arrow. "Fine," Karin said throwing her arms up in mock annoyance. "You want me to start with history right?" she asked purposely changing the subject.

"Yeah, you probably won't have time to get anything else done before I finish practicing," he said already pulling back the string to shoot his third arrow.

Karin nodded and began to read.

However, she couldn't concentrate. Every time she heard one of Kazune's arrows hit the target she wanted to look up and see where it had hit. She peeked several times, always ducking her head back down right afterwards afraid that Kazune would catch her.

After a while, she realized that he was so into practicing that he wasn't noticing anything about her. Slowly but surely she began to watch him as he practiced. All thoughts about history as she stared at her friend shoot arrow after arrow into the target.

He was so serious, but she couldn't help but notice the small gleam in his eyes right before he let go of the arrow. Then his reactions to each shot were so small, and yet so easy to read, at least in her opinion.

Whenever he shot exactly where he had been aiming, a small smile often made its way to his face and his eyes softened slightly. He looked more relaxed then she had ever seen him. But when his arrow didn't go where he intended, the exact opposite would happen. His body would tense slightly and he wouldn't frown, but his face would lose all expression of feeling until he had perfected the shot. It was incredible to watch.

After the third time Kazune had emptied his quiver on to the target, he looked over at Karin catching her staring, but surprisingly he just smiled. "I'm gonna go get my arrows and they we'll head back to my house."

"I'll help," she said slamming her book closed and jumping to her feet and walking with him over to the target.

"Be careful pulling the arrows out, you have to pull them straight out or you risk breaking them," he warned her as he demonstrated pulling one out himself.

She nodded understanding and then they both got to work. They were silent, but neither really minded. Kazune ended up pulling out more than twice as many arrows as Karin, but she didn't care because she hadn't broken any, not that he had. She was just happy to help. It probably took under two minutes to get them all out and back into Kazune's quiver.

"I'm going to go put all my stuff away," Kazune said before running back to the boy's locker room where he could change back into his normal clothes as well as lock up his bow and quiver full of arrows.

Karin looked around the gym as she headed back over to where she had left her school bag and history book on the ground. There were only a couple people left in the gym practicing, and seeing as she didn't recognize them from earlier, they probably had started late. By the time she had slipped her book back into her backpack, Kazune was coming out ready to go. Geez he was fast.

Together they walked out and Karin finally asked what she had been wondering since she had seen Kazune practicing that morning. "Hey Kazune,"

"Yeah?"

"Would you teach me archery?" she blurted out as blunt as ever.

When he just looked at her expressionless, she took it as a bad sign. "I mean, you don't have to right now, I know you are busy practicing for the competition and everything, but if you could eventually and-"

"Sure," he cut her off. "I only have one condition," he said smirking slightly.

"What! I'll do anything!" she said sincerely.

"No more requests today, people are going to start thinking I'm some sort of pushover."

Karin resisted the urge to smack him as she smiled amused.

* * *

The rest of the week passed in a flash. Every morning Kazune practicing archery and then trained a bit with Karin. Then they had school, followed by Kazune practicing a bit more while Karin studied, or at least tried to. And finally they would head back to Kazune's house to study together until Karin's ride got there to pick her up.

Finally, it was the day of the competition.

Kazune stood among the other competitors worried and slightly annoyed. He was concerned because even though the competition was starting in less than ten minutes, Karin had yet to arrive. And he was irritated because of the person standing next to him.

"Why are you here Nishikiori?" he said trying not to snap at his friend. Don't misunderstand, Nishikiori could be a good friend, but he tended to get on Kazune's nerves always hugging him and yelling.

"What do you mean why am I here Kazune-kun!" Micchi shouted in joy. "I'm here to watch you compete."

"That's not what I meant," Kazune hissed through clenched teeth. Micchi only looked at him confused. "Why are you down here with all the contestants when you're supposed to be in the stands with the other spectators?"

"Oh I thought it was obvious, I'm here to keep you calm," Micchi said smiling.

"Could have fooled me," Kazune said under his breath as he looked over to the gym door for the millionth time that day.

"Don't worry," Micchi said all knowingly. "I've known Karin-chan for years, she always keeps her promises and she promised she would be here."

Kazune scowled at the way Micchi was able to read him. "I wasn't watching for her?" Kazune tried to deny it.

"Oh really, because who else could you be watching for?" Micchi asked, "Everyone else you know is here already here."

It was true. Much to Kazune's surprise all his friends and family had shown up saying that of course they were going to come cheer him on. Apparently, Sakurai's piano recital was later in the evening, so they had all been able to come see him and then were going to head to the concert.

Kazune had felt touched not expecting it, but much to his chagrin Karin had yet to show up.

"Cheer up, I bet you she is here any second," Micchi said patting his friend's shoulder sympathetically. In all honestly, he was worried about her getting there as well. Yes, Karin always kept her promises, but he couldn't help but wonder how she was going to be able to get away from her mom this time.

A loud high pitched squeak indicated to everyone that someone was trying, unsuccessfully, to use the microphone in the gym to make some sort of announcement. "Will all the contestants step up to their targets please." The competition was beginning.

Kazune… didn't know what he was. He was mad at Karin for promising to come and then not showing up, but then again he understood the reason that she probably wasn't there. Thus, he was also a bit sad. More than anything, he was just disappointed.

Micchi looked at his friend wanting to apologize… or something. But knowing Kazune, he didn't want anyone feeling bad for him. So silently, he went to sit down on the gym bleachers with his friends.

It was at that moment that the gym door swung open so hard that it banged against the wall with a loud thunk. Everyone looked up to see Karin standing there out of breath and holding her shoes in her hand. So she had been running.

"Sorry," she said ducking her head in shame of being such a disturbance, but then she glanced up at Kazune and smiled sweetly.

He tried to keep himself from reacting, but he couldn't help the small smile that made its way onto his face as Karin hurried over to the stands and opted to sit on the front row rather than disturb anyone by joining her friends.

"Okay, let's get started," a man said into the gym microphone. Kazune immediately recognized him as the vice principle. "All archers will be shooting from the same distance and aiming for the center of the target on this first round. From there we will narrow it down to fifteen contestants."

Looking around, Kazune saw that was only narrowing the competition by a little over half. This was going to take a while. He sighed as he set the nock of his arrow in his string and rose up his bow. There was no time limit so he could already hear other peoples' arrows hitting their targets. However, he took his time, and aimed carefully as he drew the string of his bow back.

Releasing he knew right away that it had been a good shot. And sure enough when everyone was done shooting and the judges came by inspecting each and every shot, he proceeded to the next round.

Sadly, all contestants had to stay away from their targets so he didn't get to have a look at the remaining competitors' shots meaning he had no idea what he was going up against.

"This time we will increase the distance between the contestants and their targets," the announcer/vice principle said as the targets were now placed farther away. "You are still aiming for the center of the target and only ten of you will proceed to the next round," he reassured them.

Kazune honestly wanted to roll his eyes. Even from this distance he could easily hit the center of the target.

In the meantime, Karin was completely at ease watching Kazune prepare his second arrow. She knew how much he had practiced for this. A little distance wasn't going to mess him up; after all, he had practiced at so many different distances over the past few days.

As some over and under shot, it was no surprise to either of them when Kazune easily got into the next round.

As the targets were placed back in their original places, the vice principle spoke once again. "This time the contestants will only have two minutes to aim and shoot and five more of you will be eliminated."

Not a minute later, a whistle was blown signaling them to begin.

It was a trick, and Kazune knew that. It wasn't getting the shot in by three minutes that was the hard part; it was keeping you cool and staying calm. Any good archer knew that if one had practiced enough, it was easy to get high-quality shots in under a minute. Therefore, for Kazune, this shot was even easier than the last. Really it was just a repeat of the first shot.

With ten contestants, two entirely missed their targets automatically knocking them out of this round. Then one girl didn't even shoot because somehow in their nervousness she had managed to get tangled in their bow string, she too was automatically out of the round. Still, seven of the contestants, including Kazune, managed to hit their targets.

Kazune was easily in the next round along with three of the others. It was the fifth person that was up for debate between the judges. While one of the shooters had barely gotten his arrow on the target, the other two had both hit in the most outer ring. Neither had gotten an obviously better shot over the other.

Eventually, the judges decided that the two of them needed a do over to decide who would proceed. Kazune didn't even pay attention to them. It was apparent that one was going to get "6th" place while the other got "5th". What he needed to watch out for was the other three, a girl and two guys.

From what he could tell there was only one of them he really needed to worry about. The guy who was freakishly tall that he couldn't come up with his name, meaning he probably was in a different grade… a younger grade. Every shot that Kazune had managed to see of his, had managed to hit the bull's-eye along with his own. The guy looked at him and smiled friendly. Kazune gave him a respectful nod. He looked at the girl and the other guy, recognizing them both as seniors.

With the extra round over and one of the two contestants sitting down as the other joined the other four remaining contestants, the next contest's rules were announced. "Now to decide 4th and 5th place we will combine the last two stages. They distance has been increased as well as the time limit will now be two minutes."

Once again, a whistle was blown signaling the contestants to start. Just like Kazune had expected, the boy who had barely made it into the top five got 5th place. After that, the other guy who was a senior placed 4th.

They could have just placed the other three with that round, Kazune noted proudly if they had he would have gotten a definite first place, but to make things exciting they still had one round left to decide.

Strangely, the targets were all taken away and replaced by new ones that the bull's-eye was no longer in the center. Instead it was in the upper right corner. "Now is our final round deciding on the first three places," the vice principle said obnoxiously.

Kazune couldn't help but wonder why he was telling everyone that, it was pretty obvious. Maybe he was just nervous, looking over at Karin it was clear that she was. Her knees were both bouncing up and down in anticipation as her hands twirled the bottom of her hair.

Her fingers looked so delicate playing with her hair like that, and he wondered if she would even be able to pull the string back on a bow. Well, he would find out eventually since he had promised to teach her eventually.

"So this final round does not only have a smaller time limit and larger distance, but the target has been placed in the upper right corner of the target so that the three remaining contestants can't get too comfortable with a certain position when aiming," the vice principle said explaining the new set of targets to the audience.

As the final whistle was blown signaling for the remaining three contestants to begin, Kazune couldn't help but get a few butterflies in his stomach. Maybe it was that he was nervous, maybe it was that it was the final round, maybe it was the way he could practically feel Karin's eyes digging into him.

He glanced at her for less than a second before he made himself tear his eyes away from hers. He just couldn't take her eyes. They always screamed hope, and that didn't even make sense to him. Eyes couldn't talk, so why was it that every time he looked into hers it was like she was telling him something with no words.

He didn't have time for this, at least not now being in the middle of a timed competition. Pushing away all thoughts of Karin for the time being, Kazune relaxed as he carefully but quickly nocked his arrow. In one swift and fluid motion he pulled back the string aiming cautiously for the marked circle.

Kazune heard two resounding thwacks as the other contestants released their arrows at almost the exact same time. Not a moment later, he too released his arrow. Even from the distance that he was standing at, Kazune could tell that this competition really was only between him and the other boy.

The girl's arrow had done well, but not near as well as either of theirs. From this distance, no visible difference could be made between his and the other guy's arrow. The judges too appeared to be looking closely at the two boy's shots.

Luckily for all present, the judges came to a decision relatively fast. Pulling from his pocket three cheap medals that were more for show than anything else, the vice principle announced the winners.

"Third place- Kaila Hurston. Second place- Jerod Sadera. And First place- Kazune Kujyou. And that wraps up the competition!"

If the vice principle had wanted to say anything else he couldn't have, the crowd had burst into applause and it didn't look like they were going to stop any time soon. After Kazune was handed his medal, he turned to the younger boy at the same time that Jerod turned to him. An unspoken understanding passed between the two as they shook hands.

Kazune tried to hold back a grin not wanting to upset anyone, but Jerod was the exact opposite smiling widely and sticking out his chest where his medal lay. It was clear that he was proud of his accomplishments of that day even if he hadn't gotten first.

"Kazune-kun!" he heard a voice call out to him, a voice that he seemed to be unable to ignore anymore. Turning, he found Karin running up to meet him shoes still in hand.

In that moment, all Kazune knew was that he was **happy**. It hit him and he couldn't help but smile at the realization. Sure he had problems, but he was happy.

The moment Karin was in his reach, he did something he had never thought of doing. He picked her up in the biggest hug he could manage laughing as she squealed in surprise. Never before had **he** been the one to hug **her**. Yes, he had hugged her back, but he had never been the one to initiate the hug. But he had to admit it was wonderful.

"Congratulations!" she giggled in his ear. Something about him being so happy just made her happy as well.

Finally putting her down he said, "Thank you," as the rest of his friends and family joined the two to congratulate him on his win. Looking around at all the people who had cheered him on so enthusiastically, Kazune knew that this was a moment he was not going to forget any time soon.

In the door to the gym, a very unhappy woman stood watching the entire scene frowning. This type of behavior was not acceptable from her daughter. If she wasn't careful, Karin was going to fall for this… this **pauper** Kazune Kujyou. She needed a backup plan in case things went wrong and Karin got too out of hand.

* * *

So, this is the longest chapter or really anything that I've ever written. But I seriously had like a blast writing it. About three of the sections I added in on a whim as I was writing it. It was great!

How it relates to the "fairytale" (Still have no idea if I consider it a fairytale) basically in Robin Hood there is an archery contest and in this chapter there is an archery contest.

One other thing, I randomly used the word pauper at the end there because I really wanted to. For some reason in the middle of the chapter I was like "Karin is like a princess and Kazune is a pauper- the Prince and the Pauper!... sort of… not really" but I found it amusing so I had to say that.

Spoiler alert!... Kinda- Yeah I know the deal with Kazuto and Suzuka, I just chose to ignore it because this is AU. So in this they are Himeka's parents and Kazune's uncle and aunt which is as close as they really could get to being who they really were.

Yes, the moment where Karin grabbed Kazune's face I was trying to make be a parallel to the anime.

Last thing, sorry that the archery contest was not in more detail, I wanted to do more but unlike my other fics I'm really trying to make this be a lot more focused on their relationship more than any action... as hard as that is for me.

Hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the long author's notes.

FFG- Jo


	9. Chapter 8 Beauty and the Beast

I'M BACK! WOOT!

Disclaimer: Okay, really by now everyone knows that I don't own Kamichama Karin and there would be no reason to sue me because I'm not making any money off of this or anything. It just makes me happy when I get reviews and… Okay enough of that rant. Basically I don't own Kamichama Karin, not now, not ever. That should suffice for the rest of the fic.

Warning: May be a little OOC and is most definitely AU. Large timeskip also at the beginning of this chapter, I mean like months kind of thing.

**Chapter 8: Beauty and the Beast**

Karin could hardly believe it. Had really so much time passed?

It seemed like just yesterday it was the first day of school, and now… well now it was early February and things couldn't be better for Karin, well besides the whole marriage issue of course. Kazune and Karin had fallen into a routine and it was if they were joined at the hip with how much they were together.

Mornings started with both showing up to school early and training together as Kazune tried to teach Karin basics for protecting herself and in general just get her in better shape. Exercises had amazingly gotten better for Karin, and while a bit sore after Kazune's killer training, she was never dying like that first week.

Then they went to class all day with lunch with the gang, and while Karin and Kazune tended to argue during the day, though everyone could tell they didn't mean anything by it and that it was just friendly banter.

After school, Kazune would always meet Karin in the hall and together they would walk over to the gym. Surprisingly, there were a lot more archery contests then either Karin or Kazune had realized. Most weren't with the school, just hosted by their school seeing as how they already had all the supplies to hold archery contests as well as a spacious gym that held a lot of spectators and contestants.

While probably the best archer at the school, Kazune never let his winnings go to his head and refused to skip even one day of practicing archery after school. Karin, while thinking he was a bit on the extreme side, understood that he wasn't one to take things lightly and if he felt better practicing everyday for a while she hardly minded. In fact, it was nice for her to see him so relaxed for a while.

Then again, these days Karin could have sworn that Kazune was happier than when she had first met him. He smiled more and in return so did she. Thinking back to the beginning of the year, she couldn't remember what life was like without him being there for her.

After Kazune practiced for a bit, the two of them would walk back to the Kujyou residence and he would tutor her for hours on end. Despite the hours of studying, Karin found herself loving those moments the most when it would be just Kazune and her.

While she had originally found Kazune's teasing annoying, now she found it sweet and saw it just as his way to get a point across without actually being mean.

Plus, her grades were on a constant rise. Thus making her relationship with her father the best it had ever been. If only he was home more to control her mother, the one aspect of her life that had gone down the drain.

Weekends in the Hanazono household were shear madness. Every moment for Karin was filled with meeting apt suitors hand chosen by her mother. It was infuriating.

One by one they would stroll into her house and try wooing her to the best of their abilities, which for most meant relentless flirting and flashing just how much money they had. It was disgusting, and Karin was far from impressed with any of them.

Today was one of those days.

"So what do you like to do?" Karin asked the boy sitting across the table from her. He was a young rich boy whose mom had gone off with her own, in order to give the two of them a little more "alone" time.

"I like to go sailing on my fifteen million dollar yacht, although its price ranges with-"

She didn't even bother to listen past that. It was obvious to her that this boy with his dark hair and flashy smile was just another spoiled brat who cared more about his money than anything else.

For the millionth time in her life, she found herself wishing that she was poor or at least not as rich as she was. After all, she had seen how being poor affected Kazune. Not him personally, but people were so shallow as to think that they were better than him just because of their money and status.

As far as she was concerned, Kazune was a much better person than all her possible suitors. She would much rather marry him.

…

She was blushing. Karin looked at the boy sitting across from her as she felt her cheeks heat up. Thankfully, he seemed too absorbed in his own voice to take any notice of her reaction to anything. Heck he hadn't even realized she wasn't even listening to him.

Still blushing Karin wondered where that idea had come from. Marrying Kazune. Sure, there had been that one instance that her parents had considered him, not knowing his financial status, but that was months ago. The image of her kissing the boy suddenly popped in her mind and her stomach felt like it was on a rollercoaster.

Why was she thinking such thoughts?! It didn't make sense. Kazune was a friend, nothing more. He couldn't be more to her even if she wanted him to be. She was going to get married at the end of the school year, to someone of her parents' choice.

Kazune didn't even know. Months had passed and yet Karin had still yet to tell Kazune her home-life situation. Sure he suspected that something bad was happening there, it was obvious by the way she had caught him numerous times just staring at her looking worried, but he still didn't know.

It wasn't that Karin didn't want to tell him. Quite the contrary. She wanted to tell him very much, after all, she didn't want to keep any secrets from him. He was just someone she felt like she could trust completely. And yet… she still couldn't tell him.

She was a coward and knew it. Of all things to fear, like getting married to an unknown guy at this point or passing all of her classes, she was afraid of telling one of her best friends about her life. Just pathetic. Still she couldn't. What would his reaction be? Would he be mad at her for not telling him for so long? Would he be weirded out by something like this? Would he not want to be her friend anymore?

All the same, she was gonna have to tell him soon. After all, the longer she waited the harder it was going to get. Karin sighed, and it was already hard enough.

* * *

It was afterschool on Monday when Kazune finally kept good on one of his promises to Karin. All the archery competitions for the year were done, and yet Kazune still headed to the gym afterschool with Karin tagging closely behind.

"Kazune-kun? Aren't we just going to go home?" she asked confused by his actions.

"Does it look like we are going home?" he shot back grinning at her.

"Well no but-"

"Just trust me Karin," he said grabbing her hand and speeding up towards the gym.

With all the competitions over, Karin was surprised to even find the gym open. Of course no one was there though, which made the place a bit eerie. "What are we doing?" Karin asked hearing her voice bounce off the concrete walls of the large room. She had to fight to stop herself from starting to make sounds and listen to all the echos.

"You never study when I practice after school," Kazune said so matter-o-factly that Karin found herself unable to defend herself. Not to mention it was true, but like she would admit that. "So I figured now that all the archery competitions are over, I would start teaching you how to use a bow and arrow."

Karin squealed in delight. "Really Kazune-kun?!" she exclaimed smiling brightly at the boy.

"No, I'm just saying that, of course really," he answered sarcastically rolling his eyes even though he was happy to make Karin so excited. "Okay, first off we should change and meet back here in five. I'll get a good bow for you too."

"Okay, but why can't I just use your bow?"

Kazune chuckled, "I forget that you are new to all this. Archer to archer, you're not supposed to use another person's bow, it's just part of an unwritten code. Technically one can with permission, but it's easier to just get one for oneself."

"Sorry I hadn't realized," Karin exclaimed feeling stupid for not already knowing something like that.

"You didn't know," Kazune said waving it off as he headed towards the boy's locker room to change. "Plus, I think you need a bow slightly smaller than mine."

"Why?" Karin asked curiously.

"Because beginners tend to start with a certain size and if the archer… know what, never mind I'll explain everything in a second okay," he answered grinning before slipping out of her sight.

Following his lead, Karin ran to the girls' locker room and changed into her work out clothes quickly, only to run back to where a few targets were set up to wait on Kazune. She didn't have to wait long before Kazune came out wielding not only his own bow and quiver of arrows, but some strange items and an extra bow.

"This is for you," he said handing her the small of the two bows.

"What's all that other stuff," Karin asked anxious to get started.

Finishing setting everything on the floor, Kazune smiled at Karin and picked up a leather piece of equipment. "These are all tools to help you become a better archer and protect yourself from your bow." Gently he took Karins left hand and held up her arm while slipping the leather around it and tightening the ties until it was snug against her arm.

Intrigued, Karin watched vigilantly noting how caringly Kazune tied the leather straps making sure not to pull to hard, making sure that the material was snug against her arm while not cutting off her circulation. "This is a bracer or an arm-guard so that when you release your bows string it will not snap against your forearm."

"So it's basically so I won't hurt myself," Karin asked staring at the material wrapped around her arm in fascination.

"Pretty much," he replied shrugging. "Then we have your actual bow. You asked earlier why it was smaller than mine," Kazune said prompting Karin to look up at him with those big emerald eyes of hers. He felt his throat almost close up at her eyes so focused on him, but pushed on. "In general this is the size most beginners start with. Then if the archer, such as myself, decides they want a larger and more powerful bow, they upgrade. This was actually one of my first bows; I figured it would be easier for you to learn with rather than using the bow I use currently."

"Okay, so what do I do first?" she asked gently scooping up the smaller bow and examining it curiously.

"Well first, I want you to show me how you think you would draw the bow, but without an arrow in it," Kazune said taking a step away from the girl.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Karin took the bow and held it up as she pinched the string and pulled it back slightly. "Now freeze," Kazune said making Karin stiffen in response. Walking up to the girl, Kazune said thoughtfully, "So I see that you've been watching me practice," he smirked at her, "instead of studying like you're supposed to be."

Not being able to deny his claim, Karin only blushed embarrassed that she had been caught. "Well," he continued, "I kinda knew that for a while now actually."

Surprised, Karin blurted out, still holding her bow in place, "Then why didn't you say something sooner."

Not being able to tell Karin the truth that he liked the idea of her watching him, though he didn't know why, Kazune's mind raced. "Well, I'm not mean all the time," he eventually settled on, hoping that Karin didn't notice his slight pause.

She didn't, and just rolled her eyes in response to his cockiness. "Anyway," Kazune said trying to get the topic back to archery, "You can release your invisible arrow now."

Letting go of the string and hearing it slap against the leather bracer, Karin jumped at the small pop before letting out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. "You're doing it all wrong," Kazune said grinning just a bit.

Karin frowned, "and you say you aren't mean."

Kazune chuckled a bit and began fixing her. He showed her how she should hold the arrow between her fingers as she drew it back and how her grip should be light on the bow itself. He taught her how far back to draw back the string and how she should make an Anchor point, or a point where she should always draw back to so that she would shoot more consistently. He helped her when she began nocking arrows and made sure that she didn't hold them drawn back for too long as well as making sure that her elbow was parallel to the ground.

Neither of them realized when over an hour had passed and they were still going strong. And while Karin had shot a few arrows, none had really gone very far at all.

Suddenly, Kazune realized exactly what the problem was. "You're still drawing the arrow back wrong," and this time rather than just showing her how to hold the arrow between her fingers correctly, he jumped in to fix her.

Kazune gently held her drawn back string in place, while standing in front of her, as he concentrated hard on moving her fingers to the correct position. "See you have to have your pointer finger above the arrow while the middle and ring fingers below the arrow," he said concentrating fully on her fingers and holding the bow in place.

Karin wasn't thinking about the bow at all though as she stared at the boy so close to her. His touch was calloused, probably from shooting so much, but it was gentle all the same. It didn't force her fingers in to any position, just guided them to be more comfortable in the correct one.

"And make sure to keep you pinky out of the way, you can hold it down with your thumb, but you don't ha-" he looked up and froze at seeing how close the two of them were. Before he had been much too intent on helping her that he hadn't even realized just what he had been doing.

A small amount of pink stained Karin's cheeks and Kazune suddenly felt himself move a bit closer to the girl, his hand still gently caressing her own. Their eyes were locked and neither of them could have looked away if they wanted, and Karin wanted to. She wanted to so bad.

He was making her heart pound like it never had before. Her stomach was squirming and she didn't know how to handle such emotion. Kazune was her friend, perhaps her best friend. Yet he didn't know, he didn't know about her home life. Well, he did, but he didn't. Her mind swirled in confusion.

Of all of her friends, Kazune was always the one to see her. To really see her, the real her. Him being so close to him… it was strange, but in a good way. And she found herself wanting to get to know him better, to be even closer. Subconsciously, she leaned closer to him and it seemed like he was doing the same.

"Karin-chan! Kazune-kun!" A voice rung out in the gym.

The two immediately snapped back and Karin released the arrow making it fly, and while it didn't hit the target, it certainly went a lot farther than all her previous tries. She stared after it dumbfounded, as Kazune turned to see just who had interrupted them, not sure whether to be mad or thankful. He wasn't surprised to find Michiru grinning like a fool as he ran up to the two of them.

"Wow, I can't believe you guys are still here. You know school let out an hour and a half ago right?" Micchi said still smiling.

"Oh my gosh," Karin gasped in surprise while Kazune only shrugged. "We should change," she continued before setting down her bow and running off towards the girls' locker room to do just that.

Stopping just around the corner, still within earshot of where Kazune and Micchi were, Karin slammed her back into the wall and slid to the floor feeling her heart still pounding and her head whirling with confusion.

Why was it that Kazune being so close to her affecting her? After all, the boy had hugged her quite a lot, so why would this be any different. Then again, thinking back on their last hug, maybe there had been something more than she had realized. Once again her head swirled in puzzlement.

"Thanks for leaving me to clean up," Kazune said dryly, sighing to no one in particular as he bent down to pick up the equipment he had brought out to help Karin. Too bad most of it hadn't even been touched.

Micchi joined him frowning. "Hey Kazune," he said gaining his friend's attention as together they made their way with the equipment back to the storage closet. "I should give you some warning."

Kazune froze and looked up at Micchi seemingly uninterested but actually quite curious. While Micchi could seem like quite the idiot, he had a tendency to have his moments and on more than one occasion Kazune had wished that he had heeded the guy's advice.

Micchi stared Kazune directly in the eye, completely serious. "Don't fall for Karin."

Kazune kept a straight face as he just stared right back at his friend. Micchi continued, "Things are confusing enough in her life as it is. She doesn't need to fall in love with you."

Around the corner, Karin gasped lightly at what Micchi had just said to Kazune. She wasn't falling for Kazune. It was impossible… And not wanting to hear anything else, Karin ran farther back into the girl's locker room to change her clothes and try and forget what Micchi had just suggested, although his words kept ringing in her ear.

Kazune was confused as well by Micchi's words. Things are confusing enough in her life as it is? What was that supposed to mean? Kazune chose his next words wisely knowing that one mistake would make everything he was asking for sound completely wrong.

"Nishidori, what exactly is going on in Karin's life? I know there is something going on at her home, but she won't tell me anything and I'm just…" he trailed off slightly unsure.

"You're worried about her," Micchi said sighing as the two of them walked to the equipment room.

Kazune looked up and his eyes met with Micchi's. "Yeah, I am," he admitted not sure why it made him feel so uncomfortable to admit to someone else. Maybe it was because for so long he didn't really let himself worry about anyone else. After all, no one really seemed to worry about him.

"Well, originally I had wanted Karin to tell you herself, but it seems like she isn't able to. Probably cause she's starting to like you," Micchi said knowing full well that it would get a reaction out of Kazune.

"Karin's just a friend," he answered back with enough malice in his voice to hint to Micchi to stop making false presumptions.

"Yeah, and I'm the king of England. She's starting to like you, even if she doesn't know it." Kazune frowned as Micchi continued. "That's why she can't bring herself to tell you that she can't be with you, no matter what you do."

At that, Kazune looked up at Micchi unable to fathom just what Micchi meant by that. "Let's say, hypothetically speaking," Kazune added quickly. "That I did want to ask Karin out, and that she wanted to say yes."

"You mean hypothetically speaking of course," Micchi said obviously getting a kick out of this.

"Yes, hypothetically." Kazune slowly asked, "Why couldn't she say yes to me. After all, who she dates is her own choice."

Micchi frowned, "Actually, it isn't." And with that he walked out of the equipment room with Kazune quickly following him.

"What's that supposed to mean!" he demanded.

However, Micchi just kept walking away from Kazune ignoring his question for the moment. Kazune followed him angrily unsure of how to handle the situation. A few months ago he might have snapped at his friend in an effort to make him speak, but now, he just couldn't and why he had no idea.

"Do you need to change?" Micchi suddenly asked.

Surprised, Kazune still managed to answer, "Yeah."

Sighing, Micchi replied "Then you can change while I explain."

"Sure," Kazune only said afraid that if he said anything more Micchi might change his mind.

Leading the way, Kazune headed towards the boy's locker room where his clothes were in his gym locker. Micchi followed with a serious expression on his face that only made Kazune nervous. For Micchi to be so serious about something, it was rare and almost scary. There were things you could always expect in this world: the sun rising, birds chirping, Karin being lazy, Micchi goofing around…

Stopping around the corner of Kazune's locker, Micchi leaned up against the school's gym lockers as Kazune began opening his own just around the corner and out of sight. "So, are you gonna tell me?" he asked politely trying not to seem anxious.

Micchi chuckled lightly, "Easier said than done," he paused, "You don't know how hard this is for me. I'm about to break the trust of someone I love."

Feeling his throat swell up slightly, Kazune answered quietly, "You mean Karin."

Laughing quietly again, Micchi continued, "Yeah, though mind you it's not the way you are thinking. I'm more like an older brother to her than anything else." Once again he paused obviously thinking hard. "I used to be one of her best friends, but now, I would say that I almost was replaced. And judging from the scene I almost witnessed, it seems that you have become closer to Karin then I ever would have."

Kazune was silent as he listened to Micchi talk while he changed his clothes, but now he finally spoke. "What exactly do you think you almost witnessed?" he asked feeling his stomach doing flips as he was pretty sure of what Micchi would answer.

"You know what you were about to do," he simply said nonchalantly.

Kazune sighed, "Then you know that we wouldn't have gone through with it then," Kazune thought about how Karin acted with him, exactly the same way as she did with every other boy. "She doesn't like me like that."

"If that's true-"

"It is," Kazune interrupted.

"Well, if it is true," Micchi tried again. "Then we don't have anything to worry about."

Kazune took a deep breath and finished getting dressed quickly. Leaning on the other side of the lockers he finally asked what he wanted to know more than anything in the world. "Nishidori? What exactly is Karin hiding from me? What's going on in her life that I don't know about?"

"She's betrothed," Micchi answered easily.

Kazune felt a lump form in his throat. "To whom?" he managed to force out knowing his voice sounded off.

Either Micchi didn't hear it or he just chose to ignore it, but either way, he answered Kazune's question. "She doesn't know." Not waiting for Kazune to press on with more questions, Micchi continued. "It's an arranged marriage set up by her parents and they still haven't decided who she's marrying yet."

"Is there any way for her-"

"No, she can't get out of it," Micchi answered without hesitation. "It's been this way for years. She's known for a very long time and believe me, her parents aren't going to change their minds about it anytime soon."

"When?" Kazune managed to croak out.

"By the end of the school year," Kazune quickly swung around the lockers to look Micchi straight in the eye as he finished, "she will be married to someone of her parents' liking."

"That soon?" Kazune asked having a hard time comprehending the whole situation.

"Yeah, though Karin would never tell me why," Micchi admitted soulfully. "She doesn't like to worry everyone about it. Most of the time I forget about it honestly."

Kazune nodded understanding, but disliking it. Frowning, he gave Micchi a quick nod before heading out of the boy's locker room. He didn't know what he would say to Karin when he saw her, probably nothing. It wasn't his place to meddle, but this was Karin.

Karin, the girl who had convinced him to actually show his talents with a bow. The girl who seemed to touch and hug him more than anyone else and he amazingly didn't mind. The girl who he had promised so many things to and yet he didn't feel tied down in the least. The girl who seemed to smile through thick and thin, and thinking back, there had been a lot more thin in her life than he had realized.

"Kazune-kun," Micchi suddenly said stopping the boy from just leaving.

Him stopping was the only sign that he gave that he was listening.

Micchi smiled, "This last school year, with Karin, you've really changed."

"We've all grown up," Kazune said still looking away from his friend.

"Well yes," Micchi admitted with a small pause, "But you more so and differently than everyone else."

Kazune couldn't argue with that. As much as he wanted to deny it, Karin had affected him. For once, he had found someone that didn't fit in even more so than him. It wasn't that case with their close friends, but he saw how many of the students gave her weird looks. She wasn't exactly your typical rich girl, and they didn't know how to handle that.

"I can see how much you changed. After all, I've know both you and Karin practically forever," Micchi chuckled lightly, "I never thought of putting you two in the same room though."

"Are you going anywhere with this Nishidori?" Kazune asked sternly though Micchi knew he wasn't mad, just uncomfortable with the topic.

"Naw, you can go," Micchi answered resting his head back against the lockers once again as Kazune walked out.

Glancing at his friend's retreating back, Micchi couldn't help but make one last comment. "You try to fool everyone, but the fact of the matter is that Beauty tamed the Beast." He let out one big sigh as he closed his eyes, "Let's just hope that the Beast will save Beauty in the end."

* * *

Walking home, Kazune had no idea what to say or do. Suddenly, he felt like he was back in that first day of school where all the kids looked at him strangely when they found out he wasn't rich. When kids would look at him as if he was some sort of parasite.

The situation was just awkward and he almost felt as if he should apologize to Karin for snooping. Then again, knowing her, she probably wouldn't have ever told him anything about her engagement. He knew all about how insecure she could be, and really he could understand not wanting him to know.

"How about we take the day off today?" he suddenly asked surprising even himself.

Karin stared blankly at him for a moment before turning away and walking down the sidewalk. "Micchi told you," she said dryly.

Feeling his stomach drop, Kazune just stayed silent. "Do you think it's strange that I'm engaged?" she suddenly asked continuing to look away from him.

"So it's true, what Nishidori said," Kazune asked uneasily.

She nodded just slightly. He couldn't see her face, but judging how her shoulders suddenly tensed and she looked down, he knew that she was upset.

Quickly, he grabbed her shoulder and forced her to face him as he held her shoulders tightly. "I know you Karin, and you don't want this. You should fight this! They can't make you get married."

She looked up at him teary-eyed and Kazune felt as if his heart stopped. Such gorgeous green eyes should never look like that. A small laugh that was more like a sob escaped her lips. "It's no use. Whether I like it or not I have to marry some rick guy pretty soon after graduation." She tried to wipe a tear from her eye feeling embarrassed, "Now all that's left is finding the guy."

Kazune loosened his grip on her shoulders letting his hands fall back to his side. "Karin, this isn't like you. Giving up, it doesn't suit you."

This time Karin wasn't able to disguise the sob that escaped her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said as tears started running down her cheeks. It was finally beginning to sink in just how hopeless her situation was. She had know for months and yet it was just now truly hitting her, and in front of her best guy friend too, how mortifying.

All of a sudden, Karin felt Kazune's arms wrapping tightly around her. "You don't have anything to be sorry for," he whispered in her ear.

Clutching tightly on to his shirt, Karin was able to keep herself from falling completely apart. "Thank you," she whispered back barely audible.

* * *

Suzuka was never one to directly meddle. She was smart enough to know that prying into others' business tended to turn out badly. However, when her nephew and a girl walked down the sidewalk towards the door, something about the two together seemed different and she couldn't help but watch.

Then when they sat down on the front porch swing instead of coming inside, she knew something was up. Judging by the look Kazune was giving Karin, she have a clue as to what was going on.

"What are you looking at Dear Suzuka," Kazuto asked surprising his wife as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Nuzzling back into his chest, Suzuka answered, "Kazune and Karin together."

"What's so special about that? They're always together," Kazuto said peering curiously at the two teens.

Suzuka rolled her eyes at her husband as she leaned back resting her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, but something's different this time."

"How?" he asked obviously not seeing what she could so easily.

"Just the way they keep looking at each other," she answered frowning just slightly.

"And how is that?"

"Kazune looks worried about her, but he's trying to cover it up. Karin almost looks as if she's embarrassed," she stated curiously making Kazuto whip his head back toward the two teens that were currently sitting even closer on the front porch swing.

"I wonder if he found out about Karin's engagement," Kazuto commented.

Suzuka beamed at her husband. Sometimes, he truly had his moments. "Of all the things that could have occurred between them, I bet that's exactly what happened."

Sighing, Kazuto said sadly, "I don't know whether to feel proud that I guessed right, or unhappy that that's what's probably going on between the two."

"He's going to get his heart broken, isn't he?" she said sadly.

"Considering that he's in love with her, yeah he is."

Suzuka froze, "Wait a moment, Kazuto, how did you know he's in love with Karin. You can't read facial expressions to save your life."

Grinning soulfully, Kazuto answered, "Isn't it obvious."

His wife only had to raise one eyebrow to say that it clearly wasn't.

"Kazune's always been a bit of an outsider, considering that he insists that he is poor because he technically doesn't have money," Kazuto explained. "Well, from what I hear, Karin is a bit the same way. She's quite eccentric for being the richest girl at school." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "If I had to guess, I would say that she is a bit of an outsider as well."

"Where do you come up with this stuff?" Suzuka said shaking her head slightly. "I just don't get how you can make Karin an outsider. Kazune I understand, but Karin, I still don't get it."

Kazuto chuckled slightly. "Karin's the richest girl in the school, but doesn't act like it."

"While that is a valid point," Suzuka admitted, "I don't think it's enough to make her an outsider."

"How bout the fact that she's engaged and no one knows who to." Pulling his wife closer, Kazuto continued, "For all those boys know, they could end up marrying her and soon too."

Suzuka was stumped for a moment. "I never thought about that," she confessed, "I'm sure that Karin gets her share of weird looks, just like Kazune."

"Exactly, neither quite fit in the world they are living in, thus giving them a very common factor."

"Which neither of them really has ever had," Suzuka finished for her husband.

Looking back at the two teens who now were sitting much closer and laughing at something rather, it broke their hearts. Something that had the chance of being so wonderful, would never be.

* * *

"You stormed out of that kitchen," Karin laughed, "I was just sure that you hated me."

Kazune laughed as well remembering how mad he had been about the whole boxer incident with Karin, which now was just funny. "I never was actually mad at you, more just embarrassed," Kazune admitted feeling his cheeks heat up slightly.

"You were embarrassed and annoyed," Karin stated settling before taking a deep breath of fresh air.

Kazune just stared at her for a moment, soaking in how relaxed and happy she seemed. "Karin why do you like being outside so much?" he suddenly asked surprising himself.

He could see the way that she visibly tensed up. She looked over at Kazune only to find that the concerned expression on his face didn't falter. However she did.

"You know, you can talk to me about anything, even though I'm a guy and I know you might not want to," Kazune reassured her as he moved his hand over hers.

Feeling his delicate touch, Karin looked up only for her eyes to be caught with his once again. Suddenly, the memory of Micchi telling Kazune that she liked him popped in her mind, and she found herself wondering if maybe, just maybe, Micchi had been right. The way his hand on hers automatically made her feel better and his eyes were like magnets and always pulled her closer to him. It was crazy, and … unexplainable by anything else.

She wanted to tell him everything. "I don't get out a lot," Karin admitted gripping Kazune's hand lightly.

"A lot as in…" Kazune asked carefully.

"Ever," Karin admitted shyly looking away.

When Kazune didn't say anything, Karin looked back up afraid of what she might see, surprised when she found Kazune scrutinizing her closely. "Karin, have you ever been to a park?" he asked nicely.

Startled, Karin looked down, "No," she admitted shamefully.

"Why," Kazune simply asked.

This time, Karin looked back up in her surprise. Kazune certainly had a way with catching her off guard. "Well," Karin began, "as you've seen, my parents are a bit old fashioned."

Kazune nodded.

Karin continued, "Well, as my dad likes to say, the woman's place is in the house, so I don't really ever get to go out."

"Do you too believe that?" Kazune continued with his simple questions, and yet for Karin they felt so difficult to answer.

"Well, not really," she divulged nervously.

"Good, cause neither do I," Kazune plainly said looking away from Karin and back at his front yard.

Karin found herself a bit speechless, but suddenly she found the urge to look at Kazune much more than looking out at the yard.

* * *

So, it's been a couple months since I last updated. So sorry for that. Still, I hope you enjoyed this last chapter. Sad to say, updates hopefully will be quicker than this last time, but still not as fast as they used to be. My life is crazy even though it's summer. Little disappointing but I'll live.

Fairytale was pretty easy to pick out, I'm not even gonna explain it. If you have any questions feel free to ask though.

Kinda as an apology for the really really late update, I've written a Kamicham Karin oneshot under the name of "Just Once" so check that out if you would like to.

FFG


	10. Chapter 9 Rapunzel

Warning: May be a little OOC and is most definitely AU. Sorry it's shorter than the other chapters have been lately.

**Chapter 9: Rapunzel**

Kazune quickly ducked as Karin's leg came swinging around where his head had been only moments before. She was fast, just not as fast as him.

Smoothly, he caught her leg with his hand, still mid air. Her eyes immediately widened. Before she could retaliate though, he had swiped his leg under her left as he let go of her.

Falling to her butt, she reacted quickly rolling back and out of Kazune's reach and leaping back to her feet. He had managed to knock the breath out of her, but she didn't let it show knowing he would take full advantage of her if she did. Just one of the million things he had taught her. Don't show any kind of weakness, because anything is fair in a real fight.

Facing off, the two of them took small steps around each other both trying to determine the best way to push forward. Karin was the first to attack, losing her patience.

Jumping forward she punched her arm out in a clear attempt to hit Kazune in the stomach, which he dodged easily to the side. Slamming his arm down on the back of her neck as she passed, he was surprised when instead of stumbling she went with it and rolled to the floor.

Just like before, he figured she would jump back up and face off before attacking again, but if there was one thing about Karin that he should have learned about her was that the girl was anything but predictable.

Instead, she did not go all the way to her feet and instead opted to swing her leg behind her just like Kazune had done to her. Kazune's legs were knocked out from under him, but instead of falling all the way to the ground, with his quick reflexes he jumped into a backhand-spring letting himself get far enough away to avoid any immediate threats.

But unlike before, Karin did not wait to attack again. She ran at him, ready to take him head on. She knew that she wasn't as strong or as fast as him, but maybe if she took him by surprise, just maybe she could beat him for once.

Unfortunately for Karin, Kazune was ready and caught her shoulders in his hands and used her momentum to steer her slightly to his left. He held on tightly as she fell to the ground and he followed on top. Karin tried to hit him as she went down, but the tight grip on her shoulders did not make things easy. Plus, the moment she hit the floor all real hope of winning against him went right out the window.

The only thing she could hope for was to draw out the match as long as possible. Unfortunately, with Kazune straddling her and fighting to get control of her arms, it wasn't being that easy.

"Yield," Kazune said calmly as he finally caught her wrists and pinned them to the ground. Karin quickly shook her head no though as she managed to wrap her leg around one of Kazune's knees and yank it out from under him.

In an awkward scramble of legs and arms, Karin and Kazune froze again as Kazune twisted Karin's arms up behind her back and practically was pinning her to him in a hug on their knees. "Yield," he repeated smirking just slightly.

Being so close to him Karin didn't like the way her body seemed to be completely tense and in overdrive. Ever since overhearing Kazune and Micchi's conversation, Karin couldn't deny that there was something between Kazune and her, or at least on her side, and it was driving her crazy. Not that she let anyone know that.

Really, it was the only thing Karin didn't confide in Kazune. Now that he knew about her home life and had reassured her many a time that he wanted to help in any way, he had become her closest confident.

She hadn't thought that they could get any closer, but apparently she had been wrong.

Looking down, Karin sighed, "Fine."

"Good cause I'm just about beat," Kazune immediately replied back letting go of Karin and falling back sprawled out on the floor.

"Really?" she asked anxiously.

Kazune tilted his head up slightly and smiled, "Yeah, you've really improved."

Karin just smiled knowing that if Kazune said it then it had to be true. Finally, working out every morning and training with Kazune 24/7 was finally paying off.

However, when the bell suddenly rang signaling five minutes till class, any kind of fulfillment disappeared in an instant. "We're gonna be late!" Karin exclaimed as both jumped to their feet and ran to their corresponding locker rooms to change and get their supplies for the day.

* * *

"So why were you two late to class this morning?" Micchi asked as he got out his lunch and began eating immediately.

Karin and Kazune shared a quick look and then turned back to their friends already knowing exactly what to say. "I was just tutoring Karin a bit in the library and we lost track of time," Kazune said.

Everyone nodded understanding as they situated themselves in different seats in the classroom so that they would eat their lunch comfortably.

"But then why were you both practically drenched in sweat?" Micchi asked seemingly innocent, but the small gleam in his eye obviously said otherwise.

"Kazune-kun was making me run laps around the library when I messed up problems in math," Karin said at once as if it was completely normal.

Everyone made horrified faces as Kazune's jaw practically dropped in disbelief. What the hell was she talking about, he never made her do that?!

"Well, that kinda sounds like Kazune-kun," Himeka said softly.

Kazune's head whipped toward his cousin, she didn't really think he would make someone run laps for missing math problems. "I did no such thing!"

"Even I have to admit that it wouldn't be beyond Kazune to do something like that," Yukki said thoughtful.

"What!" Kazune exclaimed looking at his best friend. "You don't actually believe that I – that I- that," Kazune couldn't even seem to finish his sentence he was so flustered.

In the end, the whole topic was forgotten as the group of friends broke out in a fit of laughter.

"So you guys ready for Friday?" Miyon asked as the group finally settled down.

Looking at each other in confusion, it was apparent that Miyon seemed to be the only one who knew just what was happening Friday.

"Oh come on guys, the carnival!" Miyon giggled, "We all agreed to go together this Friday."

Karin had a sinking feeling in her stomach, she knew that there was no way her Mom was going to let her go to the carnival. Now that it was practically spring, things were on a tight schedule and by no means was Karin going to get out of anything. Plus, lately it seemed that any time she could, her mom was making her stay away from her friends. She could only guess it was because she had been spending so much time with Kazune "studying."

"Karin!" Miyon suddenly screamed in her ear effectively getting her attention. "What about you, do you think you can come?"

"I don't think so," she admitted looking down at her half eaten sandwich. "My Mom has me really busy."

Shrugging, everyone went right back to talking about what they were most excited for at the carnival. To the untrained eye, Karin seemed to be enthusiastically into the conversation. Kazune was the only one to notice that her smile didn't come all the way to her eyes.

* * *

"Over here you guys!" Miyon shouted as she waved her arms enthusiastically trying to get Kazune and Himeka's attention.

Quickly, the two of them joined the rest of their friends. Now that everyone who was coming was there, they all made their way to buy their tickets and get in line to enter the carnival.

Things were normal, it was just the way it usually was with the group. Kazune staying pretty silent, Ami, Miyon, and Yuuki were all discussing something random with Himeka quietly putting her two cents in every once in a while, and Micchi listened while randomly hanging on different people.

All in all, things felt normal for Kazune, at least until they got into the actual carnival. He quickly looked over his shoulder to see what Karin's response to the bright lights and big rides would be, only to remember that she wasn't there.

After that, things just got increasingly awkward for Kazune. He hadn't realized just how close Karin and him had gotten lately. Everything he ever wanted to say, he wanted to tell her. Every ride he went on he wanted to see her reaction. He missed how she normally would chat to him whether there was something to say or not. He felt as if something was missing. She was missing.

"Hey you okay Kazune?" Yuuki suddenly asked him only after a couple of hours of rides and games.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied gruffly not liking how strange everything felt without Karin around. He hadn't had her for years, why now did he miss having her near so much?

"Ooooh!" Ami suddenly squealed. "Let's go on that one!" she said pointing to the largest rollercoaster in the park.

Kazune made a face, everyone had made this whole carnival thing sound really exciting and it was, but for some reason he just wasn't feeling it. "I think I'm going to go and get something to eat, you guys go on ahead," he said just wanting to get away for a while, figure out why he felt so restless, why he couldn't just kick back and enjoy himself. Without another word, he turned and walked away heading toward the vender section of the fair.

He could apologize later to the group about his sudden social ineptitude, but for the moment he just wanted to find a place to sit and think in peace. The sooner he figured this out, the sooner he could get on with his life.

Not even bothering to get something to eat, Kazune found an empty picnic table and sat down folding his arms on the table and letting his head rest on them like a pillow. Strangely, now that he had time to think, nothing came to mind.

"Thinking about something?" he heard Micchi ask as he took a seat next to him. Kazune started to sit up, knowing that if Nishidori followed him than obviously he wanted to talk about something.

However, Micchi surprised him slightly by waving his hands out in front of him and saying "Don't get up on my account."

Shrugging, Kazune let his head flop back between his folded arms. For a moment, the two sat in silence just enjoying the atmosphere of everything that surrounded them. However, Kazune was restless and even though he didn't want to talk, he found himself asking Micchi a question.

"What do you want?" It was muffled seeing as he hadn't even bothered to sit up to ask it, but all the same, Micchi heard him loud and clear.

Smiling, he answered, "Well, there are a lot of things I want, for now I would like some food, to go on the biggest ride in the park, to ride on the fairs wheel with Amy. But perhaps you mean in a more general sense, and in that case I would like world peace, for my friends to keep in touch when we all go to college, and most importantly, for people to realize when they are head over their heels in love."

Kazune turned his head to glare at Micchi, "You know what I mean, why are you here?"

"Well, that's a very good question, one that's never been answered really. I mean, why are we all here on this planet? What is the true meaning to life? What is our purpo-"

"Nishidori!" Seeing Kazune's eyes practically on fire, Micchi decided it was time to get straight to the point.

"Okay fine, I came to talk because the ride only seated pairs and so someone couldn't ride."

Kazune immediately felt guilty, he hadn't been thinking, and that wasn't like him, "Sorry."

"It's cool, I didn't want to go on it that badly and knowing the girls, they'll probably want us to go on it again anyway," Micchi responded finally looking away from Kazune and at all the people that surrounded them.

The carnival wasn't all that large, and therefore it was packed with people from all over town. People were smiling, laughing, eating, and just hanging out with their friends, but one thing in common with them all was that they all were happy. Something about the carnival just did that to people… except Kazune, Micchi took notice of.

"You're in love with her," he said finally breaking the silence between the two of them.

Kazune didn't even have to ask who Micchi was referring to. "I'm not."

Micchi let out a halfhearted laugh, "Yeah you are, that's why you're all pouty, because she couldn't come with us."

"I am not being pouty," Kazune said finally raising his head up.

"Yeah you are, but it's alright Kazune-kun. We all love you anyway, especially Karin, and you should tell her that you love her too," Micchi said with a small twinkle in his eye.

"You make no sense," Kazune said shaking his head eyes closed and feeling even more confused than before. "First off, I don't like Karin that way and she doesn't like me like that either."

Micchi tried to put his two cents in, but Kazune cut him off, "Secondly, even if I did like her like that, it wouldn't matter because she's already having her wedding being arranged as we speak. And thirdly, what in bloody hell is wrong with you!"

Seeing Micchi's baffled face, Kazune just sighed trying to calm himself down before explaining. "Look, just a couple of weeks ago you were telling me to be careful and not fall for Karin, and now you're cheering me on to go after her as if it were destiny for us to be together or something."

"Well, I hadn't thought of it that way, but I suppose in a sense you are correct."

"Nishidori!" Kazune snapped.

Tilting his head slightly to the side, Micchi just smiled, "I just want what's best for Karin, and I'm starting to think that it's you."

Kazune hadn't even heard the end of Micchi's sentence though as an idea suddenly sprang into his mind at the thought of what was 'best for Karin.' He felt like an idiot for not thinking of it sooner, he really needed to stop being so slow sometimes.

"Kazune-kun?" Micchi asked slightly confused, after all, his friend had been silent for several minutes and it was starting to worry him. Obviously, he wasn't listening anymore to him.

Suddenly, he stood up, "I think it's about time that we got back together with everyone else, don't you?" he asked smiling at Micchi as if everything was perfect.

"Umm sure," and with that, the two headed back into the crowds, one looking very befuddled and the other looking almost smug with himself.

* * *

Karin groaned. At this moment, she could not think of a single way her life could get any worse.

Just yesterday all of her friends had gone to the carnival, without her. She understood that they couldn't really wait for her schedule to clear up or something, after all, it never would, and it's not as if she wanted them not to go. But still, all the same it had hurt hearing all about the big day all week and not being able to participate in it.

Then to make matters even better, her Mom had invited over one of her "suitors" last night making the entire evening so annoying in fact that she had finally lost it. She had yelled at her mom, like as loud as she could, in front of other people. Thus landing her being grounded for the rest of the weekend, not that it mattered much seeing as she had no plans because she was supposed to just be working on wedding stuff the entire time.

If anything, being grounded was almost better, she mused, because now that she was confined to just her room, she couldn't work on the wedding anymore, much to her relief. The one good thing.

And what really blows about the whole thing though, was that Karin couldn't even remember exactly what she had said when she had finally let loose on her mom, though she could remember it being quite good. But now that Karin wasn't in the moment, all she knew was that she had mentioned something about being tired of all this wedding stuff, and wanting more freedoms, and something about the boy that was there being a git. (She couldn't forget that part being too proud of herself.)

However, his mother had not agreed with her and therefore in less than five minutes they had left getting rid of one of Karin's potential suitors with them, and while she had been more than thrilled, her mom certainly had not.

For her credit, she hadn't yelled at Karin. Oh no, she was so mad that her face had practically turned purple and then she had just ordered Karin to her room. Knowing when to fight her battles and when not to, Karin did as her mother told her to.

Unfortunately for her, the moment after she had gone into her room, slamming the door in her rage of course, she heard a small click from behind. It didn't take a genius to know that her own mother had just locked her in my room. Karin hadn't even bothered to fight it though, what was the point, as it would just get her into more trouble.

The rest of the night she had sat there bored out of her mind figuring that the next morning her mom would unlock her door and life would go about as normal, well about as normal as it could be. However, things didn't exactly go as she thought they would. (When did they ever?)

The next morning, this morning, her door was not unlocked. She had debated with the idea of yelling for someone to unlock it, but figuring that this meant she didn't have to deal with her mom for a couple hours Karin opted for staying silent.

When one of the many maids that work for my parents brought Karin breakfast it dawned on her that her mom had no plans of letting her out anytime soon. If Karin had to guess, her mom wanted her dad to talk to her about her outburst, and she probably wouldn't unlock the door till he got home from his business trip. Too bad he wasn't going to get home till Tuesday. Karin could only hope that her mom would let her out for school at least.

So here she was daydreaming the day away just lying on her bed staring at the ceiling completely bored. She had already been fed all three of my meals for the day and her dinner plate had even already been taken away, so no one was going to come in her room until tomorrow morning at least.

Karin sighed at a complete loss of what to do. If Kazune-kun was here he'd probably tell her to study with the extra time, but she just didn't feel like it. Already Karin had received several acceptance letters from different colleges, and frankly senioritis was starting to kick in, not that Kazune would let it make much of a difference though.

Suddenly, she heard a small tap. Looking around and seeing nothing Karin shook it off as her imagination. Perhaps she was so bored that she was starting to hear things.

However, when a few seconds later she heard another tap, followed by a short series of beats on her window, Karin realized that her imagination was going anything but crazy. Quickly, she rushed over to the window and opened it, only to find the strangest of sights below her.

"Rapunzel Rapunzel! Let down your hair!" Kazune practically bellowed from the side of the house.

"Shhhh!" Karin responded with looking around frantically worried that someone might hear him. All the same, she couldn't keep a grin from her face.

"Geez, first you tell me I need to learn my fairytales and now that I'm quoting them you shush me. You women make no sense," Kazune said shaking his head in fake disbelief.

Smiling to herself, Karin rolled her eyes and ignored her friend's words, "What on earth are you doing here?" she hissed trying to come across as annoyed but failing when she couldn't force her smile down.

"I'm here to save the princess from her castle," Kazune replied bowing before looking up at Karin expectantly.

She only sighed and leaned on her second story windowsill as she decided to play along. "And how do you expect to do that?"

Hearing the doubt in her voice Kazune could hardly keep from grinning. "Rope," he said simply holding up a bunch of think cord. And before Karin had time to ask any more questions he added, "Catch!" and tossed one end up to the girl.

Surprised, Karin managed to catch the rope but only just barely after fumbling with it a tad. "Kazune-kun!" she declared in a sharp whisper, but he was unaffected. In fact, he was grinning up at her like a fool. "What?"

He shook his head still smiling, "Nothing. Nothing at all." There was no way he was gonna let her know how cute he thought she looked when she was completely flabbergasted.

Confused she furrowed her eyebrows slightly and twisted the end of the rope nervously. "So what am I exactly supposed to do with this?" she asked already knowing what Kazune wanted her to do.

"Tie it to something and climb down, and don't be nervous. With how much you've been working out it should be easy for you to climb down and even if you did fall I'd just catch you."

Karin looked down at the rope in her hands. He made it sound so easy, but he didn't even realize the real problem with this whole plan. Sure talking bad about your parents was one thing, but openly defying them by sneaking out, that was entirely different. Something that she wasn't sure if she could do yet. "Kazune-kun," she said hardly audible to him.

He could sense her discomfort, and he didn't like it. Karin wasn't exactly the sort to hesitate. She did something, or she didn't. Obviously something about this situation was making her uncomfortable, if only he could figure out what.

"Look, we're not gonna be gone that long. I just have a surprise for you. Promise you'll enjoy it too. We'll be back before midnight too," he said trying to think of anything that could convince her to come along. Then he heard exactly what he needed to hear.

She was laughing. "Back before midnight, now you really are starting to sound like a fairytale."

Kazune smiled thinking of another argument, "That's what tonight will be for you, a fairytale. No worries, just surprises. How does that sound Karin?"

She had to admit it sounded good. Really good. "Alright alright just let me find something," she said walking back into her room and tying her end of the rope to one of her bed posts. She was nervous about doing something like this, but at the same time she knew Kazune wasn't gonna get her into any trouble while they were out. He wasn't that type.

Her stomach did a little flip, though from nerves or anticipation she didn't know. Fact was, Kazune have never done something like this, sneaking onto her property and convincing her to run away with him, even if it was just for the night. It was thrilling, and she knew that if it had been anyone else, she could have easily said no. But Kazune, she didn't stand a chance arguing against, not that she would even want to go against him.

She was in deep, she realized making sure that the rope was tied extra tight. She was setting herself up for heartbreak, and she knew it. If she was smart, she would be distancing herself from her friend, not sneaking out of her house with him. But quite frankly, Karin found herself not being able to care too much.

"And you might not want to wear a skirt," Kazune called up to her as she cringed slightly at how loud his voice was. Did he not get that sneaking out meant being quiet?

She rushed back over to the window, "I know I know," she said already sticking her leg out the window. "I wouldn't want you to look up my skirt as I climbed down," she laughed thanking that she was wearing jeans and a simple light pink tank top.

Kazune blushed, although Karin didn't see the reaction. She refused to look down as she climbed down quickly. In fact, she just closed her eyes not wanting to lose her confidence and fall. The only problem with this theory is that once she actually hit the ground, she was surprised not having realized she was that close to it, and in response her knees buckled slightly and she began to stumble. Began, being the key word, because next thing she knew Kazune's arm was around her holding her up.

"Whoa there, careful. You okay?" he asked holding her steady for a moment.

Karin was no longer certain if her head spinning was because of being on solid ground again, or just her proximity to Kazune. "Yeah, I'm fine," she managed to say without sounding too shaken.

"Well, in that case," Kazune let go slowly letting his fingertips slide down her arms perhaps a moment too long; Karin resisted the urge to shiver. He turned away to hide the slight flush in his cheeks. "The no skirt rule actually is for a different reason than what you thought."

"What's it for then?" She asked.

He flashed her a quick grin before grabbing her hand in his own, "You'll see," and with that he began running with her away from her house.

* * *

So, seems like nothing happened in this chapter really because well it was supposed to be soooooo much longer but then I figured out a way to split it into two chapters with a different fairytale next chapter. That's actually why it's so short compared to most of my chapters. Hope you all enjoyed. Next fairytale will be Aladdin. (Perhaps it's not really a fairytale but whatever, at this point you guys get the idea of what I'm trying to do.)


	11. Chapter 10 Aladdin

Warning: May be a little OOC and is most definitely AU. Sorry for all the long waits.

**Chapter 10: Aladdin**

"No way."

"Karin, it's perfectly safe."

With a small snort, Karin immediately rejected the very idea once again. "You say that but can you prove it."

Once the two had snuck off the Hanazono property, which had been surprisingly easy, Kazune had quickly led her to his means of transportation: a smaller black and silver Honda motorcycle. Karin immediately had torn her hand from Kazune's and refused to get on the bike insisting that it was much too dangerous. She was surprised that he would even own something of the sort.

"Karin, I promise you that it's perfectly safe, do you really think I'd drive one if it wasn't?"

Karin frowned, he had a point, but still, this was incredibly stupid! She watched as Kazune scowled right back at her and folded his arms mocking her. "Kazune!" she wined dramatically.

"Karin," Kazune whined right along with her before laughing and losing the act, "Do you trust me?"

He had a hand held out for her to take and his eyes were so sincere that Karin had to remind herself to breathe. Fact was, she did trust him, to the point that it was dangerous she was beginning to realize.

"Yes," and carefully she took his hand.

Within a couple of minutes, Karin had on one of the two helmets Kazune had with him on the bike and was seated behind Kazune on the death-mobile.

"Where do I hold on," Karin asked both dreading and excited for Kazune's answer.

He turned around and gave her a funny look, forgetting that his helmet was already on and she couldn't see his face, she still knew though. "Where to you think?" and with that he kick shifted the motorcycle into gear and took off.

Karin had barely enough time to fling her arms around Kazune's waist holding on for dear life. "Kazune-kun!" He just laughed and sped up.

For the first few minutes, Karin just squeezed her eyes shut afraid to look at the passing scenery and fully comprehend how fast they were going. As long as her eyes were shut she couldn't get hurt she reasoned even though she knew she was wrong in her logic. However, in the end it didn't matter because her curiosity won out and she took a little peek sure that she would end up snapping her eyes shut once again.

Needless to say, things didn't go according to Karin's plan because the moment she opened her eyes she never wanted to close them again. Letting out a small gasp and tightening her hold on Kazune, he assumed that she had finally started looking around. He grinned and then sped up to let Karin get a real thrill.

Feeling the bike speed up even more didn't really bother Karin. She was too engrossed in looking all around her at the zillions of trees passing in an instant and the way the sun managed to hit everything in a way that made it all seem so breathtaking. Everything just seemed so magical in the setting sun's soft red glow and going at speeds that Karin was sure were far above the norm. She found herself not really caring though, and even slightly wishing that Kazune would speed up again. Not that she would ever admit to it.

Kazune must have taken a different way than usual to town because if he had taken the one she was accustomed to, Karin was sure they would already be there. Instead all she saw was more forest all around as if they were even farther from the city.

"Where are we going?" she yelled over the whirl of the wind.

"It's a surprise," he yelled back grinning like a fool knowing she couldn't see his face.

Karin pouted slightly, "Can you give me a hint?"

"It's on the edge of the city and it's for a limited time only," he simply replied.

Knowing Kazune wasn't going to tell her anything else, Karin settled herself for pondering where they were going as she admired the beautiful outside. It just didn't make sense why he said what he did, 'for a limited time only'. She already knew that they were only going out for tonight so why would he clarify that?

… Going out… that sounds like dating, Karin mused embarrassed yet half wishing it was true which only served to make her blush deeply. She couldn't deny it though, she wanted it to be like that, and unconsciously she held on to Kazune slightly tighter as a heartbreaking smile slipped on her face.

At the speeds Kazune was going, it didn't take long for the forest to start clearing up as him and Karin approached the northern edges of the city and more small businesses began popping up and neighborhoods started to be concealed on back roads out of the congestion of heavy traffic normally occurred. A new kind of awe lit up Karin's face as she was more used to the city but never at night.

Lights were everywhere and lit up the city in an entirely new way with reflections everywhere and sparkling dazzling corners that in normal lighting were dull and boring. But what caught Karin's eye most effectively would be the bright array of colors coming from what she could only guess was the carnival that Miyon had talked so animatedly about all week.

"Is that…"

Kazune only grinned in response and pulled a sharp turn showing off slightly and making Karin tighten her grip on him once again. "Kazune!" He laughed and already feeling giddy, Karin quickly giggled as well.

After that Karin gave up talking to Kazune while he was driving them to wherever, then again as they drew closer and closer to the array of exhilarating lights of the carnival, Karin's questions died on her lips as she could only assume their final destination.

By the time they pulled into the dirt makeshift parking lot for the carnival, Karin had truly forgotten any fears she had of any stupid motorcycles and was completely endeared with the carnival. It was almost enough to get Kazune jealous, though instead he was just amused as he stepped off his motorcycle and had to help Karin down in fear that she might harm herself being so distracted. She then handed him her helmet still staring at the festival.

Biting her lips slightly nervous but mostly just eager, Karin didn't even notice as Kazune gently took her hand and led her closer and closer to the entrance. "It's…"

Laughing, Kazune picked up where Karin trailed off. "Amazing? Colorful? Blinding? Noisy?"

"Indescribable," she said for the first time pulling her eyes away from the spectacular lights and resting them on Kazune.

As her stomach did a little flop as she realized for the first time that their hands were clasped together, she was just happy that Kazune wasn't looking at her as she felt her cheeks heat up. It wasn't like they had never held hands before; it was just this time it was different. They were alone, with no good reason to hold hands besides that they simply wanted to. Yet even though she knew she shouldn't want something of the sort, Karin couldn't help it and made no mention of their intertwined fingers.

"Well you haven't even seen the inside yet," Kazune said finally turning back to Karin holding two tickets for the carnival that he had just dug out of his pocket.

Squealing, Karing practically tackled him in a death-grip hug. "Oh thank you thank you thank you!"

Kazune tried to play it cool, but still couldn't help but smile slightly as he led Karin into the carnival.

Everything was new and compelling for Karin. Every ride every game everything was just enrapturing to Karin as she cheered for Kazune playing games, snuggled with a small bear he won, gouged herself on sugary cotton candy and funnel cake, laughed at the various performers such as clowns, asked questions about everything while waiting in line with Kazune, and squealed in delight on all the rides. As far as she was concerned, the last few hours of her life were the best she had ever lived. Nothing she had ever eaten could compare to a powder sugar funnel cake, never had she laughed as hard as when a clown had continuously mimicked Kazune for five minutes, and the thrill of a rollercoaster was simply unbeatable.

Rollercoasters were definitely Karin's new favorite thing. Never before had they seemed that amusing to her, and quite frankly she didn't understand the other girl's delight over the things, after all, they were just a bunch of loops on like a train. Now she completely got it. Flips, curls and swirls all at high speeds, it made her stomach flip just thinking about it. And speaking of stomach's flipping…

Kazune was a complete dream come true, and if Karin had believe that maybe she could have gotten over him eventually, now that was nowhere near a possibility. She was in deep, head over her heels deep.

But how could she not, when every time she turned around he was being so sweet and infinitely patient with her. She didn't know how he did it all. After all, she was a never-ending bucket of questions and could get quite eccentric at times, and yet he managed to handle her like a pro and answer everything to her desire with an almost amused look on his face. She almost suspected that he found her attitude entertaining.

"So what do you want to do now?" Plus he was letting her choose all the rides.

"Well we've done all the big rides so many times I was just wondering if there was something a bit more calm," Karin said feeling how shaky her legs were and just wanting to sit for a while.

Kazune interestingly raised an eyebrow, "Like what?"

Looking around, Karin spotted just what she wanted to ride, and even though it twisted her stomach just thinking about it, she knew that after all the luck she was having that day, she was going to ask Kazune if they could ride it. "How about the Ferris wheel?"

Surprised by Karin's suggestion, Kazune slowed down his walking considerably and stared at the girl as he felt his cheeks burn slightly. Did Karin even know what riding on a Ferris wheel together could potentially mean for them?

Based off the way her cheeks were slightly pinker than usual as well, he had to assume that she did. What was he thinking? Of course she did, after all Karin was inexperienced at life, not stupid. The cliché of a kiss on a Ferris wheel was so overused that how could she not know of it. So then the question was: what exactly was Karin getting at?

Not being one to back down from any sort of situation, Kazune had every intention of finding out what exactly Karin meant by asking him to go on a Ferris wheel… and that had to be the silliest thing he had ever thought. Really, she might not be trying to make any kind of move on him, as much as he was hoping that was the case.

"Sure, let's go."

In silence the two walked over to the ride where there wasn't a long line, but still long enough that they had to wait for a bit. It wasn't awkward, but there was definitely some sort of tension between the two as they waited silently shoulders just barely brushing.

Karin kept looking around, soaking in everything with her eyes, yet her mind continuously looped back to the boy standing beside her. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body and their hands were so close that she itched to grab his like earlier that evening.

Suddenly, her wish came true. Her hand was enveloped in his and looking up at Kazune, he was looking everywhere but at her. Perhaps he was sick of the tension, perhaps he wanted to tell her without words how he felt for her even if she didn't feel the same for him, or maybe he just wanted her to know he was there for her, no matter what. She didn't know, and he certainly didn't know the reason why, but both were glad for whatever it was.

Taking it a step farther, Karin inched over a tad so that she could rest her head on his shoulder hugging the small bear close in her other arm as they waited in line. Surprised, Kazune was careful to stay immensely still in order not to bounce or jar Karin's head or neck as he interlaced his fingers with hers. She couldn't help but sigh a tad dreamily, exhaling her warm breath onto Kazune's neck effectively driving him nuts.

He gave in right at that moment. If there had been any thoughts of trying to stay away from Karin for her own sake, they flew right out the window along with the rest of his common sense. Damn, if she was going to breathe down his neck like that, he didn't know how he was going to be able to keep standing.

"Tickets please," a very bored carnival worker said snapping the two out of their trances.

Embarrassed to be caught in such a compromising situation even if it was by someone he didn't know, Kazune quickly dug two tickets out of his pocket to give to the man before pulling Karin into the Ferris wheel seat beside him, hands still intertwined.

Neither said a word once again as they let a slight tension settle between them as the ride began and they started their ascent.

Just moments before Karin had so many questions and concerns on just what was going on, but now that she had Kazune all to herself in a private, and dare she say intimate, setting, her mind was a complete blank on what to say or do. Instead, she just fumbled with the little brown bear in her lap, hardly able to keep smiling about how cute he had been all embarrassed about giving it to her.

Meanwhile, Kazune had also completely chickened out. He might have planned to make some sort of move on Karin, but now he couldn't. It was too fast, he kept trying to convince himself.

Still, neither was able to pull their hand away from the others'. That would be like denying anything being between them. And when Karin once again set her head on Kazune's shoulder for no other reason besides that the hard metal seat was cold and he was very warm, he felt his brain go into overdrive and feel as if it was much too crowded for everything that was happening. He had to say something.

"Karin, what are we doing?"

He had meant to say something clever or cute, or at least something light natured. He had not meant to start the defining our relationship talk, not yet.

Karin let her head sink into Kazune's shoulder a little more and didn't bother to brush away the hair that fell in her face. Instead she left it alone to be a sort of barrier between herself and Kazune trying to hide her embarrassment from him.

"I don't know. Is this a date or something?" she whispered hardly able to spit the words out.

Kazune moved over forcing Karin to take her head off his shoulder. "Look at me Karin," she looked down. "Look at me," he said sharply but in no way mean, still she knew better than to disobey his words and thus she looked up and emerald green met brilliant blue eyes.

"Do you want it to be a date?" he asked so sincerely that she knew he wanted the truth and would get it.

Karin's head whirled trying to think of an answer. She liked Kazune, but she was getting married at the end of the school year, and not to him. Getting involved with him was just asking for her heart to get broken, yet she was pretty sure that she was already past that point. Her head hurt.

"Karin, stop it," Kazune was smirking at her slightly.

She looked up surprised and confuses. "Stop thinking about it so hard," he said taking her other hand in his so that they were both twisting to look at each other. "Forget all the reasons and stuff and just tell me a simple yes or no to what _you _want. Do you want this to be a date?"

"Yes," it was out of her mouth without a single thought, because that's what she wanted, even if it was insane.

He was smiling though, and she notice that she was as well, "Then this is a date."

Hands clasping tightly together, he made it sound so simple and easy, and for one night, Karin decided it was going to be exactly that.

"Okay you had plenty of time to make out at the top but now you have to get off," a bored voice said interrupting their sweet moment. It seemed in the time they had talked they had managed to get all the way to the top and back down.

With a little, "Oh," Karin shifted back from Kazune letting go of his hands and helping the carnival worker to lift the bar that had been strapped across her and Kazune's laps.

Seeing Karin all flustered and tripping all over the place as she tried to get them out of the Ferris wheel area as fast as possible before any more embarrassing comments could occur, only served to make her more endearing in Kazune's eyes. Plus, she had just admitted to liking him enough that she wanted this to be a date.

Thus, once they were out of the fray, Kazune quickly tugged Karin behind the nearby cotton candy stand.

"Kazune-kun, what are you doi-"

He quickly silenced her with the light touch of his hand on her cheek. Her mouth still open, Karin struggled for words but was too embarrassed by Kazune's actions for anything to come out. After all, she had never been like this with a boy. Never so close that just a few inches and they could be… she blushed heavily just at the thought.

"I know it's fast," Kauzne started as he tugged Karin forward slightly before moving their intertwined hands up so that he could rest hers on his shoulder before placing his on the small of her back. He couldn't help but grin even wider when Karin's other hand instinctively went up so that she could link them behind his neck with her bear in-between, her eyes wide in surprise that she'd had the guts to do such a simple but intimate action.

"But the thing is, I don't know how long this will last," Kazune continued nodding to how their bodies were rapidly shrinking the distance between them. "And in case this is only for tonight and I never have another chance like this," he took a deep breath, "I just want to try something. Even if we just go back to being friends after tonight."

Karin could hardly breathe due to their proximity let alone answer back, thus Kazune would never know her answer was that they never could go back to being just friends. Still, feeling his warm sweet breath on her lips, she really couldn't focus on the future too much. She was much too preoccupied with the present.

Just barely leaning forward, Kazune was able to capture Karin's lips with his own. Karin could have seen it a mile away and yet she was still surprised by Kazune's actions. However, her eyes gently fluttered closed as she came a bit more accustomed to the light pressure on her lips and she dropped her bear and curled her fingers around the back of Kazune's jacket pulling him forward into the kiss a bit more.

Eventually, the two finally broke apart, gasping in surprise at what has just happened more than from loss of breath. Staring into each others' eyes, neither was able to break away from the other. Feelings so intense by a simple kiss had both spinning slightly out of control. The only thing Kazune knew was that he was craving more.

Nevertheless, the astonishment and slight confusion in Karin's eyes kept him from acting any farther. "I-" Kazune dug for some sort of explanation but looking into Karin's big emerald eyes, any words that came to mind, fell dead on his lips.

"Well lookie here, its Hanazono and Kujyou locking lips."

Snapping their heads towards whoever had caught them, Karin was surprised to find four boys that she recognized from her grade however didn't have a clue as to what their names were. On the other hand, Kazune apparently did and immediately pulled Karin slightly behind him as if to be her personal shield.

"Well that's no good," the apparent leader of the group said shaking his head while smiling slightly as he approached Karin and Kazune. Protectively, Kazune pushed Karin even farther behind himself as she gripped the back of his jacket uneasily. "No, that's no good at all, right Hikari," he continued referring back to another one of his friends, a redhead boy slightly shorter than him, who began walking forward as well at the mention of his name.

"Sakamoto-san, Adachi-san," Kazune nodded at the leader and then the second boy, "What exactly seems to be the problem?"

Seeing the other boys start to step forward menacingly, it finally hit Karin just who these boys were. Not just any boys from school, but the very boys that had messed with her months ago in the school gym when Kazune had started practicing to do archery contests. In fact, if she wasn't mistaken, this Sakamoto kid had managed to insult Kazune, get punched by her, and then hit on her all in less than ten minutes, and judging by the way he was staggering now, it seemed he was drunk or high… or something.

"Kazune-kun," Karin said warningly, already a bit nervous. He didn't even answer back as he tried once again to nudge her even farther behind himself.

"Oh we have a big problem. Mostly having to do with that slut behind you," Sakamoto said. It seemed nothing had changed within this group over the past few months and he still did all the talking.

"What! I am not a-"

"Karin stay behind me," Kazune quickly snapped grabbing the girl by the waist and pulling her back behind him once again as she had stormed out from there at the moment she had been called a slut.

"You heard me you little whore, we have unfinished business."

"Like hell we do!"

"Karin, shut up!" Even after just being called a slut by some random guy in her grade, it was Kazune's tone that made Karin feel truly hurt, and it must have shown.

"See, even he treats you like the tool you are."

"Shut it Sakamoto!" Kazune snapped once again making Karin look at the boy, really look at him. Kazune was pissed, that was easy to tell, but what she could also see being so close to him, was that he was worried. And frankly the only thing that Karin could possibly think he was worried about… was her. Any feelings of hurt practically disappeared in an instant and slowly, Karin slipped her hand into Kazune's and gave it a little squeeze.

Kazune quickly whipped his head to look Karin directly in the eyes, and was surprised when she gave him a little smile of understanding. However, it did make his gut unfurl a little bit as Sokamoto answered back.

"Well touchy aren't you. Well tell you what Mr. Kujyou, I'll make you a little deal."

"Depends," Kazune said tearing his eyes from Karin and pushing her behind him once again, this time with no resistance as she rested her head between his shoulder blades peacefully.

Perhaps they were still in danger, but she didn't need to worry, she had Kazune there still and based on the way he had been looking at her moments ago, not to mention what had occurred between them before that, he would never let anything happen to her. Not that she could count _completely_ on that, but then again, Kazune had already taken care of that problem by teaching her to fight as well.

"Just hand over the girl and we won't beat the shit out of you," Sakamoto said with a little chuckle that was soon followed by his gang's snickers.

"No deal," Kazune said as quickly as he could spit it out.

"Awww, why not? We just want some of what she's got, if you know what I mean," Adachi chimed in grinning up at Sakamoto.

Karin took a sharp intake of breath taken aback by the very boys in her grade. She never would have thought of them much like that. Then again, they were drunk, at least it seemed that way. But then how the hell did they manage to get into the carnival like that. Based on the way they were acting, Karin couldn't help but speculate that they hadn't paid at all to get in.

"No," Kazune answered evenly, even though he had to fight to keep his voice so steady.

"Come on," Sakamoto immediately protested, "We'll even give you a turn with her. It's all for a good cause anyway." Kazune almost threw up in his mouth at the very idea. He didn't even want to hear anymore, nor have Karin hear what these boys had to say, but Sakamoto was still rambling, trying to convince him.

"See, if I manage to get her pregnant then her parents will make sure she marries me and I'll never have to work another day of my life with all the dough she has."

"Unbelievable," Kazune couldn't hold it in anymore. The whole group stopped their giggling and looked over at Kazune. "I have half a mind to teach you guys a lesson in manners."

Karin quickly tugged on Kazune's arm not liking the idea, and he couldn't ignore her even if he wanted. "However, I think under these circumstances we'll just be on our way." And with that, Kazune quickly turned on heel and tugged Karin along with him in the opposite direction. Karin stumbled a bit, but quickly caught herself and moved her other arm to hug Kazune's as they walked quickly away from the group of boys.

Unfortunately for them, it seemed that the boys weren't going to give up any time soon, thus Karin and Kazune picked up speed to a light jog.

"Should we actually run Kazune-kun?" Karin asked taking a small peek over her shoulder and seeing the gang of boys following closely behind.

For a moment Kazune didn't say a word and didn't even look at Karin. Based off of how serious his face was and how his eyes were darting all around, she could only presume that he was making some sort of plan.

"When I count to three I want you to make a run for it. Go to the far side of the park and make your way around back to the Ferris wheel," he suddenly hissed making Karin jump slightly.

"What!"

Kazune sighed, exasperated. "I said-"

"I know what you said idiot," Karin quickly snapped back effectively cutting off. "There is no way that I'm going to ditch you and let you fight all these guys on your own."

"Karin-"

"No, you trained me to fight for a reason so let me fight." Kazune looked at her with worry apparent in his eyes. "Please," she added as an afterthought.

He rolled his eyes, as if that one word would really help him decide to let her. "I don't like it."

"I don't like you fighting by yourself," Karin quickly shot back.

Their eyes locked, and they probably would have continued the argument if at that moment Sakamoto hadn't caught up, grabbing Kazune's shoulder in the process. Kazune quickly retaliated with a swift punch to the nose, probably breaking it based on the amount of blood now gushing from it.

Karin quickly looked around to see if anyone had seen, and thankfully where they had stopped seemed to be between the backs of two booths and therefore no one was around to witness any violence. Still it made her a tad nervous, due to the fact that Kazune could possibly be accused of starting a fight, and her as well if she had her way.

"Guess I lose this time," Kazune quickly murmured standing even closer to Karin as the other boys came into sight. Sakamoto must have broken out into a full sprint to have caught up with them so fast. "But at my cue you have to agree to run away as fast as you can."

Karin looked up at Kazune and squeezed his hand hard. "I'm not leaving without you."

"I'll be right by your side," he gave a little squeeze back.

Watching as the boys staggered their way; Karin couldn't help but giggle slightly. "You know this isn't a life or death situation right?" she asked already sure of the winner based on the fact alone that the guys seemed to be struggling with jogging. Plus based on some of the looks they were getting from other people in the park, it probably wouldn't be too much longer until someone reported them.

Kazune grinned, after all, Sakamoto was pretty much already out, seeing as he was currently sitting on the ground hand to nose trying to stop the bleeding and much more preoccupied with that than coming after Kazune and Karin anymore. He wasn't even looking at them, instead he was just babbling something about blood and not good, it was slightly ridiculous.

"Yep, but that doesn't mean I don't worry about you."

Karin blushed slightly at that remark before readying herself for gang of boys. They may have been drunk, but if she was cocky then they might manage to get a hit… somehow, and that could do some damage based on their size alone.

The boys didn't even stop at the sight of their leader completely bloodied up, if anything it made them want to beat the shit out of Kazune and Karin even more. Quite possibly they had already forgotten their reason for wanting Karin.

Adachi was the first one to actually make it there, and like a true second in command jumped right in only to be punched easily to the side by Kazune. However, the next guy quickly followed up with a punch that only resulted in him falling over, as Karin swiftly kicked out his legs from under him.

The third and final boy had started to punch Karin at the same time and due to her ducking down to swipe the feet from his friend, missed and instead only began to fall on top of her. It would not have done much damage to her in his intoxicated state, but Kazune was taking no chances. As the boy went down, he quickly grabbed him and simply flipped him over Karin on to his back, easily knocking the breath from his lungs.

"Now," Kazune simply hissed, and him and Karin were back to running once again.

Karin couldn't help but be slightly astounded with how fast the fight had gone down. One second her and Kazune were talking, and the next they were done beating up the guys and back on the run. She smiled up at Kazune who quickly grinned back.

"That was-"

"Faster than most fights would be. Those guys were drunk or something, so they went down faster than a normal person would," Kazune quickly interrupted her.

Karin frowned in disappointment. "Must you ruin all my fun?"

"It's not supposed to be fun Karin, it's supposed to be for your own protection," Kazune said sternly. However, based on the way his eyes were dancing and a small smile was tugging on his lips, Karin knew that he wasn't truly mad at her and had most likely enjoyed the little fight as well.

After that, they ran in silence for a while, only stopping when both started to feel a tad winded and Kazune decided that based on how many random turns they had taken and how by now the idiots had probably been reported to someone and may have already been kicked out of the park. Of course, Kazune thought they could never be too careful, so for a while the two of them decided to just stick to the edge of the carnival.

Walking hand in hand, everything just felt so comfortable and right that the two of them were able to lapse back into friendly conversation.

"You did very good back there Karin."

Karin smiled not even blushing at the compliment, "Thanks, but like you said before, they weren't exactly the biggest challenge."

Kazune nodded, "Yes, but even so they were big enough to do damage and it was good that you kept your cool."

"I was more worried about you making me leave you than ever fighting those jerks," Karin admitted.

"Well, you shouldn't be, you know better than anyone I can take care of myself."

"Yep, but that doesn't mean I don't worry about you," Karin said using Kazune's own words against him as she smirked slightly.

"Whatever," Kazune shook it off trying to act cool. He really needed to change the subject before it got downright embarrassing, being all lovey dovey. "I have some critics from the fight though."

Karin groaned audibly, "Of course you do, why wouldn't you. You're freaking insane, you know that Kazune-kun."

"What, I'm not insane, I'm just trying to help you get better."

"Whatever Kazune-kun," Karin said rolling her eyes but still smiling. "Let's hear these critics then."

"You're leg swipe was really good, but such a fancy move first of all wasn't even necessary, and it almost caused one of the guys to fall on top of you." Karin nodded remembering how Kazune had taken down the last guy. "What we need to work on is how you fight when its groups and not just one on one. Like how you have to be more aware of all your surroundings and the other participants in general."

"I don't think that will be necessary."

Kazune and Karin jumped at the deep voice that came out of nowhere, and once again Kazune held Karin close trying to decide the best way possible to protect her. Unfortunately, it was nothing Kazune could protect her from.

"Dad!" Karin exclaimed surprised. For loe and behold, there was her father along with two men in black suits. All three very out of place in the carnival setting.

"Karin you have no idea just how much trouble you're in right now."

"But Dad I can ex-"

"Quiet!" Mr. Hanazono boomed making Karin shrink back in fright. After all, there was a very good reason why Mrs. Hanazono actually listened to her husband. He wasn't the type to be ignored nor talked back to. However, Kazune looked as if he wasn't bothered in the slightest by Karin's dad's presence, even if his mind was racing to think of a way to appease to the man.

"I see that you two have formed some sort of relationship," he continued practically growling at the two of them.

Immediately, Karin snatched her hand away from Kazune's and held it with her other in front of her while looking down sheepishly. She felt like such a fool, getting all carried away with Kazune like that. Didn't she know that this was all a dream, and that in the end she was going to just have to wake up and face the truth? Tightly, she gripped her hands together trying desperately not to look at Kazune.

Seeing as Karin wasn't going to explain things, Kazune decided it was up to him to set the record straight, and hell he was willing to fight for Karin, that is if she would have him. After that kiss and the look she gave him, he wasn't completely sure of everything. "Look Sir."

"Quiet!" Mr. Hanazono thundered again, and Kazune could practically see the fire in his eyes. Definitely, Kazune stared right back. He wasn't going to back down.

"Karin, I want you to head back to the limo with Mr. Sullivan while I take care of some business with Mr. Kujyou," he said severely. For a moment, Karin stalled not wanting to leave Kazune all on his own to deal with her father. She looked over at him only to find that he had locked eyes with her dad and seemed to be handling the situation fairly easy.

"Karin!" her father snapped making her jump surprised once again and take a few steps toward Mr. Sullivan, one of her father's two personal body guards. However, she slowed down once again to look back at Kazune, who although was still staring intensely at her father still noticed her stalling and flashed her a quick grin of reassurance.

Being true to her nature, Karin's cheeks quickly flared up and she quickly dashed away smiling slightly to herself although still worried as Mr. Sullivan led her away.

The moment she was out of earshot, Mr. Hanazono began to speak, or really yell was more like it. "What in the devil's name did you think you were doing!? First sneaking my daughter out of her home, then driving her around on that death trap of a machine you own-"

"It was perfectly safe!" Kazune immediately shot back. "And she needed to get out of that stupid mansion you call a home."

Mr. Hanazono didn't appear to be listening to Kazune as he continued on with his list. "Then you brought her here, a place that obviously isn't safe due to the amount of drunken idiots walking about."

Kazune cringed at that, after all it was a bit true. He hadn't expected something like that, but then again, that was life, you couldn't ever completely predict the future no matter what you did. "I promise _sir _that Karin was in no type of danger with me around."

"Oh really!" if Mr. Hanazono was mad before, now he was truly furious, his eyebrows rising in annoyance and his lips tightening. "Then what is this that I hear of you two actually getting in a fight with three drunks."

"Actually it was four, and really it was an unfortunate circumstance but-"

"Unfortunate circumstance my ASS! You actually got my daughter, my only daughter! In a fight! Do you know how hurt she could have gotten?!"

"As I was saying," Kazune said stomping one of his feet and clenching his fists to tightly in anger that they were shaking. "We were able to take care of them easily."

"Of course you were they were drunk!" Mr. Hanazono yelled making more than a few passersby look in their direction, although neither seemed to notice nor would have cared.

"You don't give your daughter enough credit!" Kazune immediately shot back.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?"

"She can take care of herself, she can fight, I've been teaching her for months now, and she's better than you'd ever imagine if you would just look at her!"

"Don't you dare start telling me how to raise my daughter!"

"Raise her! Ha! When have you been around to do anything of the sort!" Kazune said not able to hold back his opinions in his anger.

Kazune didn't know it, but his words actually struck a cord with Karin's father, and for a moment he wondered if he truly hadn't been there as much as he should have been for Karin. But that still did not dismiss Kazune's behavior.

"You know nothing of being a parent!"

"No I don't," Kazune said settling down enough to stop shouting though his tone was still sharp. "My parents are dead, but my uncle and aunt did well with me I would like to believe. Even when I don't want them there for me, they still are." Slowly Kazune's voice began to rise to a yell once again. "They ask me about my life, they butt in to the point that it's annoying, they talk to me, they care about me!"

Kazune took a deep breath staring Mr. Hanazono in the eyes, his emerald green eyes, it was easy to see where Karin had gotten hers from. "Do you even know what Karin's favorite color is?"

Mr. Hanazono blinked in surprise and actually took a step back.

When he did not answer Kazune's question, the boy continued his rant. "That's what I thought. Do you know anything about your daughter, your own flesh and blood?"

Karin's dad started to open his mouth to answer, but Kazune didn't give him the chance. After all, now that he was being allowed to speak, he wasn't going to give that up anytime soon knowing once Mr. Hanazono started to speak again he probably wouldn't let Kazune speak again.

"Do you know her fears? Do you know how freaked out she is by her soon to be marriage? Do you know how much she doesn't want nor need to be married at such a young age?!" Kazune took several steps toward the man and progressively got louder with each. "Do you know how deprived she is?! Do you know that she's never rode on a carousel until today! Did you know that she tries so hard to please you two and everything she does makes her end up in the same exact place that she was before, you mad and her hurt?!"

"If you're implying that I've ever rose a hand to my daughter-"

"There's more than one kind of hurt Mr. Hanazono!"

Both men were breathing rather hard and for a moment they just stood in silence the only noise being the breath passing through their mouths.

"You've made your point Mr. Kujyou," Karin's dad finally admitted catching Kazune slightly off guard. "But now I have a question for you, did you know that falling for my daughter and making her fall for you in return would do nothing but break her heart?"

It was as if Kazune's mouth was suddenly full of marbles and he couldn't say a word.

"She's known about this marriage for a long time, and suddenly you appear, and I swear if you break her heart…" He left the threat hanging; however Kazune seemed to be finally catching his second wind, still Mr. Hanazono was not done. "I'm just a father trying to protect his daughter."

"Protect her or lock her up in a cage?" Kazune quickly snapped back.

"Whatever it takes!"

"Even if she's never happy?! What's the point of protecting her if she misses out on everything in life?!"

"Better off alive at all I say!"

"There's a better way!"

At this point the two men had drawn quite a large crowd around them including a few hired out police officers who appeared to be trying to break up the intense argument but their words fell on deaf ears as Kazune and Mr. Hanazono did not even look their way. At least not until one was brave enough, or perhaps just foolish enough, to clamp a hand on each of their shoulders quickly and effectively gaining their attention.

"Sir's, you're causing quite the disturbance and we'd like to ask you to leave the park right away."

Feeling sorry and slightly embarrassed as he looked around as just how many people were around and staring at them, Kazune was about to apologize when Mr. Hanazono cut him off with a quick shrug of the shoulder to make the officer's hand let go and he stormed off leaving Kazune with one final phrase, "Too bad for you things will be done my way."

Kazune's heart immediately slipped down to his stomach. Obviously Mr. Hanazono was done arguing with him and wasn't going to listen to reason.

"Oh and Mr. Kujyou," Mr. Hanazono didn't even bother with turning around as he strode away from Kazune. "We won't be requiring your tutoring services with Karin anymore, and if I hear of you so much as talking to her at school then we will remove Karin from that school and all her friends. And with that thought I take my leave," and with that he was gone with his bodyguard quickly following behind.

Kazune cringed at his words knowing that it was no empty threat. For Karin's sake, he might just have to stay away from her. But deep down he knew that he wasn't going to be able to do so, no matter what her father threatened with.

* * *

Well this chapter took me so long and I apologize profusely for that. The line at the beginning was from Aladdin and that's really the only connection between this entire chapter and any fairytale. Not much but it's still something. So sorry again. I find myself disliking this chapter for some unexplained reason but I hope you still enjoyed it.

FFG


	12. Chapter 11 Three Little Pigs

Yikes it's been a long time! So so so sorry about that. I could give you a bunch of excuses, but honestly I don't think you really want to know. Just know that I'm a completely different person now than when I first started writing this fic and I apologize if any of the writing has changed in form at all. After this there will only be two more chapters, so I will finish this I promise!

Disclaimer: May be a little OOC and is definitely AU. I do not own Kamichama Karin

**Chapter 11: The Three Little Pigs**

By the time Karin's father got back to the limo, Karin was beyond fuming. While she had been caught on unawares by her father's presence back at the carnival and had found herself more embarrassed at being caught in such a intimate position with Kazune, but now… now she was pissed. What right did her father have to boss her around like that, and why did he get to decide who she dated or married!

For perhaps the first time in Karin's life, she was mad to the point that when her Father stepped into the limo as crisp as always, having calmed down from his shouting match with Kazune, and she openly glared at him not trusting her voice to crack if she spoke.

For a moment, Mr. Hanazono was caught on unawares. He had always taught Karin the proper respect for her elders so such defiance in her eyes was quite unanticipated as well as unwelcome. He quickly shifted his features to glare right back.

Opening his mouth to call her out on her current and previous behavior of that night, he once again was stunned when she beat him to it.

"I hate you."

Three simple little words, yet they still managed to make Karin's father feel as if his heart had just been ripped from his chest and stomped on by his daughter. Karin had always been the good daughter, doing as he told her, trying her hardest despite her not being the brightest of the bunch, seemingly always happy to him. However, he was starting to see how much of a façade she had always been putting up, and frankly it hurt more than he wanted to admit.

Truth be told, he had always wanted a son, so when his wife found out she was pregnant with a girl and not a boy he had been completely disappointed. That is until Karin was actually born and he was completely smitten with her pink face and tiny fingers trying to wrap around just one of his. Any regrets of having a girl were dashed away in an instant and instead he found himself increasingly worried for his daughter's safety at all times.

He knew how boys could be; after all he was one himself. Plus he had gone to an all boys boarding school growing up and had constantly been aware of how much sex was on the typical guy's mind. He swore that he would never let Karin be taken by a boy who was not up to her standards. That's when the list had started.

The list of qualifications to date Karin Hanazono.

At first, it only contained virtues such as honest and fair. The Hanazono family had always been rich, but as Mr. Hanazono's job began to truly take off, he became more and more aware of how much money truly made the world go round and gave so many happiness. Truth was, no money and it was quite difficult to be very happy with what one had, at least that's what Mr. Hanazono presumed. After all, he had never been a poor man.

Thus, rich was added to the list. After all, he wanted his daughter to be happy and how else was she going to be happy unless she had someone providing for her.

Things had grown worse when Karin had turned ten and started noticing boys for the first time. She never said anything to her parents, but her father could see the way she looked at them, curious and innocently. However, those boys he knew were already nowhere near innocent like his daughter. They were like Hawks, just waiting for the opportune moment to swoop down and make the kill.

That's when Karin's parents decided that the best thing for Karin would be to skip all that dating nonsense and simply arrange her marriage for her. After all, she was young and couldn't be expected to make important decisions like who to date. It simply wasn't safe.

When they had sat Karin down and explained this all to her, she was much too young to truly grasp exactly what they were saying. However, she could sense that they both had her best interests at heart and therefore wasn't too heartbroken over the whole situation.

Mr. Hanazono thought no more of it after that day. As long as Karin did as he pleased and followed his rules like a good wife would, he did not trouble with her feelings. After all, she had accepted her fate years ago, so why would that ever change.

Suddenly, where a sadness had filled Mr. Hanazono's heart from Karin expressing her extreme dislike for him, a fire rose up and he found himself thoroughly pissed off. He had done everything for her! He had made so many hard and important decisions to keep her safe! It had all been done for her!

Mr. Hanazono appeared to not understand the concept of learning for one self, and such ideas such as it was better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all, did not mean anything to him besides it being quite foolish.

"Karin I will not have you talk to me like that!" he hissed.

Crossing her arms, Karin looked definitely at her father before simply turning her head and looking out the window still pissed but not even having the heart to yell at her father. It simply would be a waste of breath to fight with him. Not even worth the effort.

On the other hand, Karin's father didn't know what to do with her not arguing back. While before he had been surprised at her for such defiance, after a moment's hesitation he knew how to deal with it, fight fire with fire, and he had been ready to argue to his daughter's content. However, with her now refusing to even look at him, he wasn't quite sure of how to deal with this.

So he did the only thing he could do. For the entire trip home, he yelled at her, first for her stupidity and recklessness for simply running away from home and with a boy no less. She didn't even bother to correct him and let him know it had only been for the night. Then he was scolding her for even being alone with a boy and all the trouble that could lead to. He was a never-ending fountain of rebuking and yelling at her.

It came to the point that Karin wasn't even listening to what he was saying anymore, and when they finally arrived home, she didn't even wait for someone to open her door for her to get out of the car. Without even a single glance at her father, she stormed into the house that she no longer felt like was her home and up into her room.

At first her father simply continued to yell at her, but when she disappeared into the house and even closed the front door behind her quietly, it hit him just how shaken and serious his daughter was. For a moment, he actually believed that she might just hate him.

Silently, he walked into the house not fully comprehending what had just happened. "What on earth happened!" He heard his wife screech as he entered the mansion. He didn't answer, not sure exactly what to say.

"First Karin is missing and you go storming out in a rampage after her, and next thing I know she's storming in the house looking as if she's high on drugs or something."

"Karin's not on drugs," he immediately replied. He knew as bad of an influence that Kazune kid might be, drugs definitely hadn't been an activity on the agenda tonight.

His wife scoffed. "How do you know? She looked dead on her feet and so pale, I really wish she had thought to put a little more makeup on before she went out, and her eyes were empty, and she didn't even respond when I yelled!"

Karin's father froze, "What do you mean?" he asked carefully.

Mrs. Hanazono raised her eyebrows at her husband. "She didn't react at all when I saw her and started questioning her. I mean, even when I grabbed her hand to stop her from walking away from me, she just pulled it out of my grasp and walked away like I hadn't done anything at all."

"No," he answered back, "I meant what did you mean by her eyes were empty?" he asked looking at his wife so intensely that she startled a bit before answering.

"They looked dead. Practically lifeless."

Mr. Hanazono didn't bother with answering as he looked away from his wife and to the direction of Karin's room. He knew that he should be happy at the prospect of Karin giving in to his wants for her, but somehow the idea of her being numb and giving up… it was rather unbearable.

If there was one thing that Mr. Hanazono had always loved about his daughter it would be her pure energy and determination to get what she wanted. He remembered seeing her for the first time after she was born and he could have sworn that her eyes shined with joy and wonder at the world as she viewed the outside world for the first time. Karin was a happy person by nature, and to see her so changed and it be his fault… no, it wasn't his fault. It was that Kazune kid's fault. If he hadn't made his daughter fall for him, but wait that wasn't right.

As much as Mr. Hanazono would like to blame this whole fiasco on Kazune, something made him hesitate. Still, one thing was for sure, Karin didn't need to see that boy until he could sort this whole thing out. "Karin's not going to school tomorrow, there are too many bad influences there for her, see that she stays home tomorrow understood?"

It was more of a statement than a question, and a harsh one at that, thus Mrs. Hanazono didn't argue and simply nodded her head. She knew when her husband got like this it was better to simply go along with what he wanted because there was no convincing him otherwise.

Mr. Hanazono took one last look at the direction of his daughter's room before briskly walking away in the other direction. He needed to think before he spoke to her.

When Kazune came into class the next day looking as if his puppy had just died, Micchi knew that something must have happened. Unfortunately, Kazune had barely slipped in the door before the bell rang giving Micchi no time to question his friend. Knowing that Kazune wouldn't want to talk about whatever it was that had happened, Micchi didn't even bother trying to find Kazune in the hallway during the passing periods. He wouldn't have had enough time to truly bother Kazune into telling him anything during such a short amount of time either. However, when he saw that Karin was absent from school, he became a bit more concerned. When he spotted Himeka worriedly glancing at her cousin constantly throughout the day, his sinking suspicions were concerned. Obviously something had occurred between Kazune and Karin and whatever had happened, it didn't end well.

Thankfully, by the time lunch time rolled around Micchi wasn't the only one who had noticed Kazune's strange behavior. When the group surrounded Kazune at lunch, for a moment no one said a word afraid that they might offend their friend with the wrong question. Himeka was the first to break as she squirmed with anticipation.

"Kazune-chan, please tell me what happened with Karin last night. You said you would tell me at school tomorrow so you wouldn't have to repeat the story multiple times."

Kazune immediately responded with a sharp intake of breath that did not go unnoticed by Micchi. "I messed up," Kazune finally confessed.

There was silence once again.

"I think that we can be the judges of that once you explain the whole thing," Micchi finally responded with an air of seriousness that was rather out of character for the boy.

"I took Karin on a date last night."

The whole group's eyes went wide and Ami and Himeka both gasped in astonishment. "How?" was Miyon's first reaction.

Kazune buried his face in his hands before answering. "I snuck her out of her house through her window."

If Micchi was surprised before, now he was dumbstruck. "You didn't," he couldn't help but react.

That earned a slight smile on Kazune's face. "I did."

"And?" Yuuki prompted.

"And what?"

"And how was it!?" Micchi chimed in unable to control himself. After all, when he told his friend that he should tell Karin he loved her, he didn't expect Kazune to actually ask her out right away.

Kazune sighed as the little light that had entered his eyes disappeared and this faraway look replaced it. "It was brilliant." He paused obviously lost in his thoughts. "I took her to the carnival on my motorcycle. We went on all the rides and I even won her a little stuffed bear."

The girls suddenly all had goofy grins on their faces as the imaged how romantic it had been. The boys simultaneously smirked impressed with their friend's nerve.

Kazune took a deep breath. "I like her, and she likes me… and we kissed."

The reaction was immediate as loud squeals came from all three girl's mouths as they looked at each other and bounced slightly in their chairs. Meanwhile Yuuki and Micchi were busy patting Kazune on the back good job hard enough that Kazune was slightly thrown forward with each slap. Meanwhile, Kazune's face became as red as a tomato.

"You sly dog you!" Micchi practically yelled as he mussed Kazune's hair knowing it would annoy him.

"That's not where the story ends though," Kazune then admitted so quietly that everyone hardly heard him. It took a second for them all to settle down and afterwards he explained about the fight and then Karin's dad showing up.

"I just have this sinking feeling that I've completely screwed up things," Kazune ended with letting his head rest down on his desk.

They all looked at one another in slight shock at the story Kazune had just conveyed to them.

"No you haven't," Micchi immediately retaliated. Looking up, Kazune was surprised with how serious Micchi's expression was. It suddenly hit him just how serious Micchi had been this whole year, as if the goofy boy had finally grown into a mature adult. Micchi continued, "Yes what you did was a bit rushed and crazy, sneaking Karin out of her house and everything, but honestly Karin needs someone who is willing to do that for her."

He looked at the rest of their friends slowly and with such determination in his eyes that no one even tried to speak until he was done. "We all have been here for Karin, but honestly none of us have really tried to fix the situation that she's in." Everyone looked a bit ashamed at Micchi's words as it was the truth. "Sure, it may not be any of our business and she didn't really want us involved… but who cares! She's our friend and she's going through hell frankly and we need to do something about it, and Kazune was simply the first to actually do so."

Micchi's eyes locked back on to Kazune. "Thank you for stepping up and trying to make Karin's life better. She needs someone like you who is willing to break the rules in order for her to live a better life."

Kazune simply stared at Micchi. "But what if I just made things worse for Karin?" he asked, his tone completely solemn.

While everyone else tensed up, Micchi's face simply relaxed into a small smile. "Do you know how you can make everything a lot worse for Karin?" No one said anything for a moment and Kazune simply stared Micchi in the eyes, unwilling to look away.

"By giving up on her, Kazune-chan," Himeka's small voice popped into the conversation. Kazune and Micchi both whipped their heads towards the small girl as Ami and Miyon nodded right along with her words. "Kazune-chan, if you don't help Karin out of this situation, she's going to permanently have a broken heart."

Kazune's eyes widened in slight panic, "I don't think she's in love with me guys, and me trying to help her might just get her into more trouble and I… I just want her to be happy."

Yukki interjected here, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder, "And she's happy with you."

"Yukki's right," Miyon chimed in. "Plus I think you may be wrong about her loving you Kazune."

"She's in love with you Kazune, and I think everyone knows that you feel the same about her," Micchi went ahead and added in with a small smirk on his face.

Kazune's face was bright red with embarrassment by this point. "This isn't how it's supposed to happen guys, I'm only 18, and so is she!"

"And your point is?" Micchi quickly snapped.

They were once again glaring at one another and no one dared intrude this time. "Look, I'm not saying that I'm going to give up on Karin."

"That's what it sounded like to me," Micchi quickly interrupted.

Kazune frowned before deliberately slowing down his words to make sure he did not offend Micchi again. "I just don't want to force Karin to leave her parents or do something equally bad for something that she may not even want in the long run."

"What are you saying Kazune-chan?" Himeka asked confused.

Kazune sighed, "I'm saying that I really need to talk to Karin before we decide to do anything, because if she doesn't want to be saved and will be happy in her home, who am I, who are we to take that away from her."

Micchi's glare quickly faded and the tension that had built up in the air over the last few minutes slowly dissipated as he spoke. "I don't think Karin will ever be truly happy in that house," Kazune started to interrupt but stopped with Micchi held up his hand. "But, I do agree that we should talk to Karin before we take any plan of action." He looked around at the others, "She should have a say in just how she wants to be "saved" so to speak."

Everyone shook their heads in agreement relieved that they could all relax once again.

"But how are we supposed to be able to talk to Karin?" Ami asked frowning.

Micchi grinned. "I already have a plan."

Karin was still fuming. She didn't even bother to try and go to school the next day. After all, she knew her father as well as anyone and he was never going to allow her to go back after what had happened this weekend with Kazune. All day she had busied herself with the odds and ends of her room trying to keep her mind off of everything that had happened. She shouldn't have even tried to distract herself though.

After all, how was a girl supposed to stop thinking about her first kiss, especially after such a magical night with someone she lov-

Karin always had to stop thinking at that idea. It was Kazune-kun, her friend, her best friend, her crush and maybe, she had to admit after trying not to all day, maybe he was a little more. It seemed so cheesy and wrong for how young she was but maybe her and Kazune had more going than just silly crushes.

She couldn't help but rub her face with her hands. She was just so overwhelmed. She was mad at her Dad for being such an idiot. She was irritated by her Mom for trying to get her to look at some profiles today. Did the woman actually think that she wanted to look at any more damn profiles! How did she not realize that she didn't want to get married! And then there was Kazune.

He was just so confusing.

Were they dating now?

Karin frowned, probably not according to her father. But what about Kazune, did he want her bad enough to keep chasing her. He had said that they could go back to being friends after last night if they wanted. Was that what he wanted?

There were three knocks on her door.

"Go away!" Karin immediately called out. She didn't want to talk to anyone, and it was probably her Mother of all people.

"But I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your door down," said a booming voice outside her door.

She didn't know whether to smile or to frown. Her father used to always say that to her whenever he came in to give her a kiss goodnight when she was growing up. It was bittersweet that he would say such a thing now.

"I'm not a child anymore, come in if you want, cause it doesn't matter what I say anymore," she said for the first time in her life not caring if she offended her Father.

She listened as her door creaked open, but she didn't bother looking over at her Dad. She didn't want to see him, so instead she stared at her hands in her lap refusing to let tears come to her eyes.

"That's not how a young lady should speak to her elders," he commented gruffly. She could hear the hurt in his voice. Good, she thought to himself, after how much he's hurt me he deserves to feel a little pain himself.

"I'll speak how I want," she snapped chancing a small glare at him.

She was surprised to see him actually look a bit hurt by her words, but she didn't show it. She just kept chanting to herself, he deserves it.

However, she watched as his expression morphed from one of hurt to one of anger. "No you will not as long as you are under my roof!" he shouted.

"Well just let me leave and then I can speak however I want," she hissed back.

"You will not leave because you are my daughter damn it!" he yelled.

For the first time in her life Karin was unafraid. "Exactly! I'm your daughter, not your property! So stop treating me like your possession!" she screamed back letting her temper fly. She could feel tears in her eyes as her emotions got the better of her.

For a moment the two of them simply stood there in silence both breathing heavy and staring at one another. It was in that moment that Karin's Father saw his daughter as a young woman for the first time. She had always been such a passionate little thing, but she had always been his little girl. Now staring at her and seeing the hurt in her eyes and hatred for him, he couldn't help but flinch. All he had ever wanted was the best for his little girl, and now she hated him for it.

Sighing, he relaxed and proceeded to go and sit down on Karin's bed next to her. It hurt more than he wanted to admit when she automatically shifted away from him.

"I didn't come up here to yell at you," he admitted slowly.

"Could have fooled me," she answered rolling her eyes and then looking away from her Father.

He almost lost his temper right then. It was then that he realized who Karin reminded him of. He chuckled, and immediately Karin whipped her head to stare at her father wide-eyed in surprise. "All these years I thought you were practically a clone of your Mother," he said still smiling to himself. "But I guess you were always hiding your true self from me weren't you Karin?"

Karin couldn't help but feel guilty and a little confused. "I thought you wanted me to act just like Mom," she admitted slowly, rather unsure of the words.

Her Father smiled a little sadly to himself, "I suppose I did." He then looked up at Karin directly in the eyes, "But now I see that you're actually more like me."

She couldn't help but scrunch her eyebrows in confusion. Looking at her directly, her Father couldn't miss it. He laughed even harder, "You have my temper."

Karin tried to keep a smile from forming on her lips, but she couldn't help it. She had always known that she had a bit of a temper. I mean, after all, her relationship with Kazune had basically started because of it. Sitting on her bed laughing with her Father of all people, it felt strange, but Karin couldn't help but like it.

When they had both quieted down, her Father's face had gone serious. "I need to talk to you about what happened yesterday Karin," he said slowly, and Karin could almost hear the sadness in his voice. For the first time since yesterday, she realized that perhaps her Father had hated the situation they had been put in just as much as she did. Or at least, she hoped he did.

"I need to know why you left home," he said sternly.

Karin took a deep breath, "Honestly?" she asked looking up into her Father's eyes. She didn't want to make up excuses like she was so used to doing for over half of her life. She didn't want to lie anymore.

He nodded once.

"Lots of reasons," Karin admitted slowly. She looked back down at her hands in her lap unable to keep such intense eye contact with her Dad. "A lot of it was I wanted to actually see things for once," she smiled sadly, "Normal things that kids my age are used to seeing." She took a quick glance at her Father, "I wanted to experience life."

Mr. Hanazono tried not to feel guilty about Karin's sheltered life, but it was hard to when he knew that he had experienced so much more by the time he was Karin's age than she had. Still, he had done it to protect her, she had to know that.

"I know you just want to protect me," Karin said and he smiled secretly pleased, "But what's the point of living when the only thing you see is the inside of your house?" she continued on. Clearly, she didn't want an answer from him though, because she immediately continued on. "Plus, I knew that Kazune would protect me if anything happened, so that's probably why I went yesterday actually."

Karin's Father frowned. It was a good answer, but it wasn't the one he wanted, especially when her eyes had practically lite up when she mentioned that boy she had been with. "What is your relationship with Mr. Kujyou?" he quickly asked without thought.

He didn't miss the way that his daughter's cheeks immediately flared up in embarrassment. She started to fiddle with her hair and he saw confusion cross her face, "I don't know anymore," she admitted.

"Did he take advantage of you?!" her father quickly exclaimed seeing Karin's discomfort and hearing her vague answer.

"NO NO!" She immediately answered waving her hands and head nugatory. Her whole face was now bright red. "All I know is my own feelings," she said quickly, trying to explain better.

MR. Hanazono calmed down rather quickly seeing the truth behind his daughter's eyes. "And just what are those feelings."

Karin bit her lip, "This is soooo embarrassing," she admitted looking away.

He couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that. It was just such a stereotypical moment between Father and daughter that he couldn't help it.

"Don't laugh, it's embarrassing," Karin quickly retaliated lightly elbowing her Father. He practically beamed at her in that moment. Never before had he actually been this informal with his daughter, and seeing her face light up at him, he realized just how foolish he had been.

"Kazune is my friend," Karin admitted slowly, looking away from her father once again.

"And?" he prompted.

"I like him a lot," she said softly, clearly afraid of her Father's wrath.

However, he just smiled a little sadly. "Why?"

"Because he sees me!" Karin quickly blurted out before slamming her hands over her mouth. The look her Father was sending her clearly said to explain. "He notices me. He sees whenever I'm down and he always manages to cheer me up some way or another. But he doesn't pander to me," Karin's Father was slightly taken aback by Karin's increase vocabulary for a moment, but continued to listen to her as she went on, quickly lost in her own mind.

"He gives me a hard time and pushes me so hard, but it's always because he knows that I can do better. He expects the best out of me, because he knows that I'm capable of it," Karin said staring off in the distance eyes unfocused. "He's made me confident in who I am, and I love hi-" Karin quickly cut off her words, surprised at them.

Admittedly, Mr. Hanazono hadn't expected such strong words to come from his daughter. He knew the young man had started to crush on his Karin, and he had worried about his daughter crushing on this Kazune kid, but he hadn't suspected that she would fall so deep so quickly. Looking at the shocked expression on Karin's face though, he realized that she wasn't lying, although she probably hadn't realized the depth of her own feelings until this very moment. He knew what he had to do.

"Well then," he said slapping his hands down on his thighs making Karin jump, and then he stood up. "There's only one thing left to do."

"What?" Karin said looking up at her Dad.

"Test the young man and see if he's worthy of my daughter's love."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it! No worries about any more long waits. The next chapter is already written, but I'm currently working on editing and such. Expect it in a week or so. Keep writing!- FFG


	13. Chapter 12 Sleeping Beauty

Disclaimer: AU and may be OOC. I do not own Kamichama Karin. A lot more fluff this chapter. I didn't intend for it to be that way, but ehh I'm not complaining. Next chapter should be the last.

Chapter 12 Sleeping Beauty

"You have maps of the Hanazono household?!" Kazune exclaimed unable to keep himself from reacting. "Why?!"

Micchi smiled, completely unaffected by Kazune's outburst, "Why not? I always figured I might need them so I kept them."

For a moment Kazune debated how Nishidori even managed to get ahold of something as strange as blueprints of the Hanazono mansion, but then he decided it simply wasn't worth it.

"Okay, so what exactly am I supposed to do with this," Kazune asked concerned with the answer he might get back from Nishidori.

"Find Karin's room of course," Micchi answered as if it was the simplest thing ever.

"Nishidori!" Kazune exclaimed, tired of the boy's cryptic answers.

Micchi laughed, just because he was going to help Karin and Kazune meet back up, it didn't mean that he wasn't going to have some fun with it.

"Look, just follow my lead and don't get caught no matter what you do," Micchi said as he marched right up to the Hanazono residence and knocked on the door. "Hide in the bushes," he suddenly added, giving Kazune a firm shove into the bushes that happened to be right out of sight of the front door.

Kazune cursed lightly, "I'm gonna kill you when this is all over," he hissed. Micchi simple giggled to himself.

Hearing the door open, Kazune silenced himself, and listened as the maid let Micchi into the Hanazono mansion and closed the door firmly behind him. What was he supposed to do now? After all, Nishidori might have had a plan, but he had refused to tell Kazune any of it, only getting that creepy smile on his face that he always got whenever he was planning something rather devious. Kazune didn't like it. That grin always meant trouble, and Nishidori trouble was the worst kind.

"Kazune-kun," he suddenly heard Nishidori hiss out. He hadn't even heard the door open.

"What?" Kazune hissed back peeking around the corner.

Micchi motioned for him to come inside, and based on the way he was looking so frantic, it was clear that it was in Kazune's best interests to hurry. Quick as possible, Kazune entered the mansion and Micchi closed the door quietly behind him. He was about to speak, but Nishidori cut him off.

"I've asked for Karin's mother, and I'll be distracting her for the next twenty or so minutes, you have that much time to find Karin's room and hide there, after that I can't help you. Stay out of sight whatever you do, especially of the maids, because they will report you to the master of the house," and then without warning Nishidori pushed Kazune towards the side door to the entrance hall. "Get going before Mrs. Hanazono shows up."

Without thinking about it, Kazune reacted and did exactly as Nishidori commanded. He didn't even fully comprehend just what he was doing until minutes later. This was breaking and entering! However, at that point Kazune knew it was too late to turn back.

At least now he knew what the blueprints were for.

The entire experience was immensely nerve-wracking for Kazune. Sure he was willing to bend rules for the good of the situation, like when he snuck Karin out, but he wasn't exactly sure how all of this was worth it. After all, he could just talk to Karin in school the next day. Kazune couldn't help but frown as he ducked around another corner and stayed as still as possible when some maids passed by. That was, if Karin was allowed to come to school tomorrow. With the way her Father had reacted at the carnival, he honestly wouldn't have been surprised if Mr. Hanazono was planning on having Karin homeschooled for the rest of the year.

Kazune was immensely thankful when he finally got to Karin's room. Several times the question of how he was going to get back out came to mind, but he figured he'd get to that when the time came. He tried to just open Karin's door but cursed when it was locked.

"Dad?" he heard her call out from inside. He didn't risk answering as he heard someone down the hallway.

"Come on Karin," he said staring at the doorknob to her door. He couldn't hear her getting up inside the room, but he knew that she would. Her curiosity always got the best of her.

Then again, if she thought he was her father, would she answer the door. Kazune frowned and glanced down the hallway again hearing the voices getting closer. Could he risk just standing in front of Karin's door waiting on her. He couldn't say anything, the others down the hall might hear him. Looking around, he realized there was no quick escape.

Just then, the door opened, and there in front of him stood a very shocked Karin.

"Kazune-kun?" she said in complete disbelief.

Kazune didn't waste a moment. Before another word was spoken, he barged into Karin's room and closed the door as quietly as possible and locked it. He then put his ear to the door motioning for Karin to stay quiet. The two were tense as they listened to a couple of maids pass outside the door gossiping as they worked. It wasn't until minutes after the voices had completely faded that Kazune allowed himself to actually relax.

Turning towards Karin for the first time since he had seen her in the door, he was surprised to see moisture in her eyes. She was holding her heart and it was clear that she was overcome with emotions.

He smiled and held out his arms to her. "Kazune-kun," she gasped as she jumped into his arms.

He didn't bother with words, there were none that he thought worth mentioning right at that moment. All he wanted to do was hold Karin. His Karin. At least, he hoped that she was. However, as she squeezed him even tighter he decided it wasn't worth worrying about at the moment. He would much rather just hold her and feel her against him.

For a moment, that is all the two of them did. They simple embraced and enjoyed each other's presence.

"Oh Kazune-kun I feel like crying and laughing all at the same time!" Karin exclaimed a bit louder than she meant to.

Kazune released his hold on her enough so that he could look at her face. Seeing it overcome with just so much emotion only served to make him want to kiss her again. But he didn't know if that's what she wanted. After all, he had offered to go back to being friends. Plus, maybe she didn't want to be saved from this life. Maybe this was where she wanted to be. He highly doubted it, but he was never completely sure when it came to Karin. All he knew was that he would do anything for her.

He knew he had fallen fast, but he was already beginning to love this girl. No, he did love this girl.

Now the only question was if she loved him.

"Well I hope that it's more on the laughing side than crying," he said with a small smile.

She giggled lightly, "I suppose so," she wiped a stray tear from her eye with the back of her hand, "I think I'm just so happy that I'm crying."

Kazune chuckled lightly at that, "Only you Karin."

Karin merely stuck out her tongue at him in response eliciting another chuckle from Kazune.

"So why did you sneak in to see me," Karin asked, causing Kazune to raise an eyebrow at her.

"How do you know that I snuck in?"

Karin merely rolled her eyes. "Because of everything you just did at the door, plus my Dad may understand now, but that doesn't mean he would willingly let you see me just yet."

Now Kazune looked confused, "He understands?"

Karin let out a small sigh and grabbed Kazune's hand dragging him over to her bed. He noted that she blushed as she sat down on it next to him, but then again he felt like his cheeks were on fire. He had wanted to sneak in to see Karin, and he certainly hadn't expected to be sitting on her bed like this. Sitting on Karin's bed… it felt dirty, and Kazune refused to think about it. He had just kissed her the night before, there was no reason to be thinking about more serious things. Then again, he was pretty sure that he loved her, and if someone had asked, he would admit he liked the idea of her being his permanently, like as his wife. Such ideas were for the future though, not now. There was so much more to do and to discuss before that, starting with Karin's Dad apparently understanding?

"My Dad and I talked earlier," Karin said.

"Talked?" Kazune questioned rather surprised. He had seen Mr. Hanazono's temper and it was hard to think that he had already calmed down to actually talk to Karin.

Karin nodded, "Well, we started out by yelling, but we actually ended up talking more than yelling."

Kazune smiled, "That's good, what'd he say."

Karin blushed before answering. She told him everything.

"I think that he understands that I just want to be appreciated for once for being me."

"He actually laughed that we shared similar personality traits."

"He just wants me to be happy and protected from the world, he just went about doing it the wrong way."

"There has been just so many miscommunications between us, I don't think he realize just how unhappy I've been over the years."

Everything that Karin told him made Kazune's heart soar, not only because it seemed that Karin's Dad might actually let them be together, but because Karin was so happy about it. He had never seen Karin's eyes burn brighter with happiness. He loved seeing her at her best, and now that she finally had her Father's support, it was as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The only thing that worried him was if she was so happy from just her Father's support, perhaps she didn't actually need him. Maybe, all Karin needed was a supporting family. As much as it pained him, if that was the case, Kazune would stay her friend and only her friend. After all, there might be someone much better out there for her.

"I told him how I felt at you," Karin suddenly blurted out.

That startled Kazune, "What?"

Karin was no longer looking at him as she sat next to him on the bed. Suddenly the way that their legs were touching seemed much too warm. "I told him how I feel about you," Karin correct. "Not felt, cause that's past tense."

Kazune felt his cheeks heating up, but he had to know, "Yeah? And how do you feel about me Karin?" he asked. He would never admit to how nervous he was in that moment, even if he didn't seem like it.

He watched as Karin blushed heavily, "I told him that you were more than a friend to me, but I didn't know how you felt about me."

"Idiot," Kazune said. He didn't hesitate as he brought a hand up to Karin's cheek and pulled her to him gently as he leaned in. This kiss was just as sweet and caring as the first and Kazune could feel the way Karin shivered under his touch. He was definitely completely in love with this girl.

"I feel exactly the same way," Kazune said the moment that they separated. He didn't tell her that he loved her, no it was too soon for that, but she deserved to know that his feelings for her were mutual.

Karin sighed in relief, "Good," she answered before leaning in to kiss him again, this time with much more enthusiasm.

Kazune was caught off guard for a second and fell back in surprise, but Karin refused to keep her lips off of his as she kissed him much more adamantly than before. She leaned over him, as he laid back sideways on Karin's bed. He was sure that this was moving rather quickly, having gone from mere kisses yesterday to full make out sessions today, but somehow Kazune couldn't find it in himself to really care.

For the next hour or so, the two of them simply enjoyed being with one another. They talked about silly things happening at school or with their friends, with occasional kisses or even make out sessions entwined throughout their conversations. They forgot everything else, and simply enjoyed life the way that kids were supposed to at their age.

"Karin, I figured that we were at this point already and it seems really childish to ask, but will you be my girlfriend."

She smiled sweetly, "Of course Kazune-kun," and then she gave him a quick peck on the lips.

Kazune smiled so hard that his cheeks hurt, however, there was still one thing that needed to be cleared up. "We will be allowed to date right?"

Karin bit her lip, "Honestly I'm not exactly sure, my Dad said something but it's really weird."

"What was it? Anything can help Karin and I'm willing to do anything," Kazune said perhaps a bit more dramatic than he had originally intended. But he found that it was the truth. He would do anything for Karin.

"He said he was going to test you," Karin blurted out.

Kazune looked at Karin wearily, he should have expected this, but he didn't really know what to do with it. "What's the test? And what exactly is it for?"

"He didn't say," Karin admitted annoyed with herself for not asking her Father, then again she supposed he probably wouldn't have told her anyway. "But he did say it would be to make sure that you were worthy of my… affections," Karin added slowly.

Kazune could tell that Karin was hiding something, but at the moment he didn't feel like pushing her to tell him. "So it's all a game," he commented.

"No!" Karin quickly retaliated. Kazune gave her a look, "I don't know," she amended, "but if you don't want to do it you don't have to Kazune."

Kazune was completely taken aback by Karin's words. She continued on, "I mean, everything that my Dad said made it seem really… permanent, like marriage permanent." She looked at Kazune directly in the eyes. "I know this is all really new for us, and I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to go that far, especially so soon after we just started dating. If you don't want to take Father's test then you don't have to."

Kazune hadn't expected Karin to be so thoughtful about this entire thing, and he certainly hadn't expected for her to be so worried about her affections. "Karin, he said taking her hands in his own," she bit her lip obviously waiting for the worst possible answer. "This did not come on fast, I've been crushing on you almost since I met you," he admitted slowly.

Karin blushed heavily at his confession and admittedly Kazune's cheeks were pink as well. "Things may be moving a bit fast but honestly," he took a deep breath, he hadn't planned on making such a speech today but apparently this was the moment, "I would ask you to marry me right now and be mine forever if it meant that I could have you at least for a little while."

Karin gasped and almost pulled away but Kazune kept a firm hold on her hands. He pulled her close and leaned his own forehead against hers. "I see this relationship becoming a permanent thing and I hope that you feel the same for me."

She couldn't answer, she could only nod in agreement before Kazune pulled her fully into his arms holding her as tears of happiness streamed down her face. "Oh I do, but I was so worried that you didn't and I didn't want to force you into anything," she practically sobbed into his shirt. Kazune merely smiled and rubbed her back lovingly. He was amazed how well everything was falling into place. Now he would just have to pass her Father's test. However, holding the woman of his dreams in his arms, he was sure that he could do it. He simply was too happy to worry about anything.

"Kazune," Karin suddenly said pulling away, "I hate to bring it up, but how exactly are you going to leave to go home?"

Kazune could have cursed his luck.

Thankfully, between Kazune and Karin they were able to make a makeshift rope down from Karin's window like she had used previously the night they went to the carnival.

"You know, you came and visited the princess locked away in the tower, but you haven't managed to slay the dragon yet, and I've never heard of the prince fleeing the scene out the window of all things," Karin laughed as she watched Kazune struggle down her tied together sheets.

"Hey I'm working on that whole slay the dragon thing, I just haven't been told what the test it yet," Kazune immediately retaliated. "Plus escape out the window is harder than going back through the castle." Normally he'd be a bit more annoyed with the situation he was in, but he was on such a high from Karin's kisses that he honestly couldn't focus on the bad very much at all.

Karin laughed at Kazune's words. "Whatever, still I fully expect you to sweep me off my feet like all the princesses are when they are saved by the heroic prince."

Kazune winked at her, "Of course my princess."

Karin blushed and watched as her prince disappeared out into the night, despite still being a captive of her house, she felt so much lighter than before. She felt happy.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed, I know it was short, but I cut out a lot of what my original plan was. Not sure how I feel about this chapter honestly. Only one more chapter to go!


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